Possibly letting in a third player, raising cbets, and calling double barrels all seem like tough situations for me. I can't explain it, but intuitively it seems like reraising preflop and then getting to see the flop and probably a free turn just makes things easier. Maybe I'll try to think of a more precise way to express this.

I'm useless

i also think 3betting 77 is bad vs this guys range.

also, river i will fold and not show how i terribly played 77.

if the guy will call oop 'too much' merging it improves...but it then slides again if we pretend preflop is the only street and end up playing like a bitch postflop

For me, I don't mind the 3b preflop. But checking two streets in position AFTER 3b preflop seems silly. I might check the flop, but am definitely firing on the turn and river as that line looks like big pair knowing it won't get 3 streets of value.

You say you 3b to "take control" of the hand, right? Well then actually take control by betting it somewhere. Basically, you relinquished your control and allowed yourself to get manouvered into a spot where you had no idea where you stood on the river. Not a question in my mind that this guy wouldn't muck TT to you on this board if you fired two barrels. I mean, he called you a tight player after all...

Bottom line, you lit $205 on fire in this hand because you didn't follow through. Bad play.

3-betting or calling the flop are both ok as long as you polarize your range. I have played oodles of hands against Kyle, and optimal poker will beat him.

As long as you 3-bet the flop you need to c-bet, and turn barrel. He will call the c-bet everytime (float), and he will fold to your turn barrel.

Hope your not reading thie Kyle ;-).

mantra of live play... fight nittyness with nittyness

I disagree.

77, 200BB deep, in a 3 way pot, in position, against an overly aggressive opponent prone to making spewy bluffs. . . . is awesome.

In fact, I'm going to be cold-calling him preflop with a pretty wide range. I'd probably polarize my 3bet range to premiums and trash. Basically, see a bunch of cheap flops with the guy and exploit the #$%# out of him postflop.

Oh yeah: as played, call river. You are so massively underrepped, that he may be trying to get you to lay down a chop.

raise?