Hero has been completely card dead for a long time. I don't think I saw the turn in a hand for an hour and a half. It's a 10 handed cash game so when the cards are miserable, it's just a lot of folding because the game is pretty active and there aren't a lot of spots to try to get in and wrestle a pot away from someone.

Table is very deep thanks to two players pretty much just donating something in the neighborhood of $5K in short order. It was magical and the reason good players play poker. That's what the good player next to me said anyway. Unfortunately, I had to buy most of my chips, but several other players at the table benefitted from KJo preflop $100 raises and $500 flips.

V in this hand is a tricky, aggressive player. He's pretty loose preflop, but doesn't ever get serious money in after the flop without a quality hand.

Donk on the button is one of the whales. He's bad and has a bank envelope of hundos that he's looking to get into the game.

Hero has ~$600
Donk has similar
V covers

$5 straddle on the button
6 limpers and the button checks his option. Hero is in late MP with red 44.
Pot: $35

647

V (SB) leads for $30
Hero flats
BTN Donk flats
Pot: $125

647T

V checks
Hero thinks, bets $90
BTN Donk folds
V tank calls
Pot: $305

647TJ

V checks
Hero bets $125

I'll share my thoughts as responses come in.

I know you're trying to keep the donk in, but I think you need to raise this flop.

AP, turn is fine and river too, assuming that this is intended as a b/f.

Agree.

Agree w raise flop. Agree with value betting river, but intending to b/c.

I like it, especially river sizing (b/f hopefully as mentioned above) as you allow the largest chunk of villians range (2 pairs imo as its a limped pot) to call the river. I would however raise the flop for that reason, plus a lot of pair plus straight draws that will call otf. As played turn is good and river is good, but I would make it $85 otf.

Just read above. What are we hoping ships river that we have beat? OP said villian is loose pre but doesnt ever get money in light post so if he shoves, I really doubt it's 2 pair and the only bluffs in his range by the river are pair plus straight draws that whiffed.

I'm not really "hoping" he ships, but I find it hard to put him on a hand that beats us given his line. 89 or an overset just make no sense with no turn raise and an OOP river check. Limped pot make TT/JJ very unlikely.

GRunch
U should raises this flop with it so coordinated.
ASP i think the lead on turn and river are fine bet sizes are ok

Yeah I agree its hard to make sense of a hand that beats us (besides 89, I dont think that's an auto turn raise tbh at all) but my point is still valid, that with OP's read, I dont think we're seeing a worse hand be shipped for value by villian.

If I raise the flop and V shoves, am I calling off bottom set on this board in a limped pot 300bb deep? With it being a rainbow type board, I didn't feel like raising was mandatory, especially because I was in position on the player now leading the pot.

I did bet the river intending to fold if V shipped it. I can't think of anything on the river he is c/r-ing that I beat aside from a busted draw, but if I'm V that just seems like burning money. As I mentioned, I hadn't played a hand past the turn in almost 2 hours, so when I wake up and am betting 2 streets pretty strongly (also of note that v is conscious of bet/pot sizing and knows my river bet looks like it wants to get called), it doesn't figure to be a good spot to bluff. I think my bet sizing was excellent as it is really hard to raise the river with anything except 89 and MAYBE 85/53 but I can get value out of most all of the 2pr hands and maybe even stuff like 88 and 99, depending on how much V wants to soul read/hero call.

What hands are c/c the turn and c/r the river that I beat?

I think 89 leads the river. V is aggressive and savvy enough to know he should be betting his nuts on the river. I think a lot of sets still beat me on the river, but it's possible I get him to fold 66 every once in a while.

---------------

Overall, I think I played this hand really well. Not that there aren't things to think about and discuss, but I'm proud of this one.

One question I would ask is how I should deal with V leading the river. I don't think I can ever raise, but I think anything 2/3 pot or less is probably a call. Thoughts on this?

Also, how often, if ever, should I be checking this behind on the river? I've really been working on not checking behind in a lot of spots I would otherwise do so, but I know there are still times I should. I think if the river is a , 3 or 8 I should be checking behind, but those are about the only cards I think I do.

against a good villain that you know is not donking here without a big made hand then i like the flat on the flop. if we get all the money in on the flop we are praying he flopped a straight...once he checks the turn you need to bet for value. the river is a clear cut b/f for value but i actually think your sizing is small. I like $190.

As for him checking the turn and river, really confused by this and i am interested to find out results. my first impression though is that you seriously need to reconsider how "good" this guy is. I mean what the hell is a good villain taking this line with?? doesnt make any sense imo. ok i can see an argument for checking the turn with a set so that you dont get raised off it by 89 but the river is a clear b/f for value if he has a set yet he still checks.

V is a long term winner in the game and I have respect for his play, but I'm not saying he's the best ever or he is a pro. Just that he generally knows what he's doing.

It's not really a donk bet since it's just a limped pot. V is going to lead here with the full range of his hands to try and shrink the number of players. OTF, I'd range him like this: 33-99, 35, 58, 89, all pair+OESD and all 2pr hands. V may well make a play at the pot if I raise since there aren't a lot of hands I can have (limping in MP) that are really strong. Considering his ATC-type range from the SB combined with the PSB lead, it looks really strong when he comes over the top. Given that the only draw that can come in will be a 4-liner to a straight, he's not going to be c/c those hands since it will be hard to get paid OOP if it hits.

raise flop for value then. no question.

I'm assuming I'm r/f then? I just feel like raising bottom set in this spot with 300bb is asking for trouble. If/when he comes over me OTF, I don't think I'm ever good or getting it in against a hand with a ton of equity. Hands I'm trying to get value from are probably shutting down, right? If BTN Donk raises, I'm getting it in, no questions asked, regardless of V's action.

I felt like the turn would have been a much better time to raise, as was my plan.