1/3 NLHE

Hero has only been at game for a few orbits but knows some of the players. First hand he sat down and got KJs ATo and A9s and 3-bet each of them on what seemed like a passive quiet table, won all 3 hands in a row for small-medium sized pots and is now up 100$ on his 400$ BI. Dealer greeted hero and has been chatting with him so Hero may have a bit of a LAG image (although is not really a LAG). 500$ UTG+2/MP

V1 - Quiet passive player I've seen around that doesn't play many hands and folds a lot. Don't know much else about him. Seen him open KK for 15$ UTG. I know he's fairly tight pre and weakish-tight post. 300$ UTG.

V2 - Young asian guy I have a few hours with, he plays very passive pre calling opens a lot from any position and never 3-bets anything less than KK+ AK. He tries to trap a lot with his big hands and donk leads post with his vulnerable made hands. If he sees a FD for instance he'll donk out with top set even when flushes are unlikely. Covers. UTG+3/LJ


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V1 opens 15 from UTG, Hero has A J his favourite hand and decides to just call this time, V2 calls next to act behind H. 3-ways.

Flop 45 - J 9 8

V1 x, Hero bets 40 (sizing?), V2 calls, V1 calls...hero feels uncomfortable knowing they both call a PSB here.

Turn 165 - 9

V1 x, Hero x, V2 bets 200 into 165, V1 folds, Hero? ..You have 445 back, pot is now 365.

I think flop you should pure check here. Very dangerous board 3 ways and many run outs you will lose.

I don't mind a flop bet but I would go smaller. A bet of $25/$30 will get hands that are going to fold out. Your trying to fold out the AK/75/65 type hands that could draw out but are not going to pay to stick around. Checking and seeing if the turn is a brick is also fine. This is a very mess board and there are a lot of run outs where hero should want to keep the pot small.

As played the turn isn't worth calling. It's uncertain if villain has hero beat but give the description villain would bet a lot of 9X hands because they are vulnerable to the many draws. Hero's hand isn't worth committing.

fold pre

100% check flop. The main reason why u can't bet is because
1) your hand is too weak for 3 streets of value giving the texture and ranges of V1 and V2
2) you can't really force a strong dro to fold no matter how big your bet is, and you can't really bet big because your hand is "marginal" and V1 V2 are uncapped
It would be OK bet if you were at the BTN playing vs blinds tho.

How played turn is a snap fold

Okay okay.. yea I overplay my hands because I get into value mode against these guys sometimes and they show up with all kinds of stuff.

Result:

FWIW, if AA isn't our favourite hand playing LLSNL then we're probably doing something wrong.

I would make a nitty fold preflop. AJs doesn't fair well against what is likely a nitty EP opening range. And while flatting would be my next choice, I hate the position we'll be in (tarped between the raiser and the world behind us), which can setup some stoopid postflop spots. Give me LP after some callers I would more happily see a flop here.

I'd probably lean to a bet now that EP has checked just to protect against overs, but there is no need to go so large; I'd go probably $20 at most. Really hating life when both players call a PSB.

Odd turn spot. If pot wasn't already so out-of-control we could perhaps think about betting again. But now I think that would just be building a massive pot and I'm a little concerned I'm behind V1. So I'm cool with the check. And I would just fold to this overbet.

GcluelessNLnoobG

Hand reveal too soon.

I would 3bet pre. There are way too many people left to act that you don't want in the pot. Case in point hand.

Flop bet is too big on a board where flopped straights are possible.

Turn is hard to provide input on knowing villain's exact holding, but seems like you made the right choice.

dont cold call pre in this position, like ever. this is a huge and very basic fundamental leak that surprisingly most people still seem to have. the reason is that between sandwiched in NL is a money pit. either 3 bet or fold.

thus vs EP raises when you are in the next few seats the only question you should be asking yourself is if your hand is good enough to 3b. if the answer is no, then chuck it.

I think this is good advice in general if you are simplifying things for guys to limit mistakes. I can think of several reasons to flat AJs likely being monkey in the middle in games I play. 100bb deep vs a nit raising 5x UTG is not one of those times.