Hello everyone. I usually play live $2/$5. One of the toughest spots I face is getting check-raised on the turn that was multiway preflop when I have an overpair when the board is bad for my range but there are no straights or flushes on the board yet.

Let's say 3 or 4 people in the pot total pre.

I have something like JJ-AA and open in early to middle position and the board comes something like 47T, two to a flush. I'll bet flop and get one or two callers. Turn is mostly a blank like a 2, doesn't complete the flush, or may be a scarier card like a 9 (completes gut shots but no open-ended straights, and gives possible two-pair). I'll bet turn and face a check-raise of about 3-4x against a good player capable of bluffing draws and will have value bets for all two-pair or better hands.

Another similar situation is on a low-paired board, something like 66T, two to a flush, and a non-broadway turn that doesn't complete any flushes, but may complete a gutshot.

Looking for general advice on how to handle these spots:

-When should I fold the turn? I think I tend to overfold in these spots as I'll typically fold to all but the most aggressive players at the table in this spot.

-What to do after calling turn and facing a river shove? Which type of rivers are good to call off? In general I'll fold to rivers that complete the flush when I have no blockers, and other bad river cards such as when the top card is paired or a card that completes the most obvious straights. I feel like I overcall in the spots that don't complete a flush on the river, and face the bad news of two-pair or set very often (on the non-paired flop) or trips (on the paired flop). This is especially true when the player is very aggressive at the table. I feel like they are bluffing more often then they actually do, and end up losing my stack as a result.

-Should I be checking the turn more in these situations?

Thanks

Generally,

You're beat. Baluga Theorem and all.

If a straight is possible on the turn you should snapfold, because unless the board is paired AND they have a straight, you're drawing completely dead

I think one of the interesting points you mention yourself is that in a lot of these spots when villain bets otr in non-draw completing cards, you overcall in these spots and are often shown the goods. I think this speaks pretty well to the idea that large, later street action typically isn’t a bluff against your average live low stakes player.

With that in mind, I still think betting in these spots will have merit if we expect that we can get value from worse often enough. If we think that on the boards that you mentioned villain can have a reasonable amount of bluffs when they check raise, yet check give up when they miss, then we can have a pretty simple plan of defending ott and folding to further action on the river. If we expect that villain will only be check raising value hands, then that’s fine. An easy but effective approach of bet-folding for value will work perfectly here.

That being said, if we expect villain to empty the clip with air into us otr, then I wouldn’t mind checking back in these spots for pot control to avoid building a massive pot in such a gross spot.


This is just my opinion though, and I definitely don’t claim to be perfect. Just figured I’d give my 2 cents and open up the conversation.

I think a more relevant question is how often are you c betting the flop OPP on these boards and double barreling after that? I think pot control is important in these situations because you're up against sets, two pair and players floating in position.

To answer your question of when to call/fold, I'd say look at your villain's range. Just because a flush draw or GS hits, doesn't mean they have a flush or GS.