$1/$3 Live with a $6 straddle

Folds to me on button and I make it $18 w JhTh (my stack $800)

SB (young, quiet, solid) calls ($300 stack)

Straddle calls ($500)


Flop Kc9s7h (double gutter w backdoor flush poss)


SB leads $20 into $48, straddle calls.

I think about raising here but think there is more value in winning a huge pot if i hit my straight on the turn IP...call

Turn is 6c

SB leads $30 into $108, straddle calls

??? It's an easy call but is a raise better?

My thoughts....The SB cannot have KK now or he would be looking to end it and is likely AK KQ or a draw trying to control the pot and see the next card cheap. The straddle is obv drawing and could have the same hand as me since there were no flush draws on flop. Or maybe also holding a K

Either WAY...It looks like neither is willing to commit their stack to this hand so I decide to make it $200.

Staddle lets out a "****!" in disgust as he wanted to see the next card and indicates he is clearing folding behind with his actions...SB goes in the TANK...and finally announces all in $232

I call and the river bricks...He tables AKo and I muck

Did I do anything wrong here?

It's really all about the reads and your table reputation.

If you think there's a better than 50% chance they both fold, it's probably the best move. Anything less than that and it's better to just call.

You have to assess
-- do they both make tough folds
-- are they sticky/gambler types?
-- what do they think of you? What should they think of you?

Call and hit your hand, you're getting great odds

Seems like a fine play, given the reads you provided.

Here's the question I would ponder if I was you: what range of hands do you think SB takes this (flop bet/small turn bet) line with? And how much of that range do you think he will fold to your raise?

I ask because I think your read was spot-on that this line is basically capped at one pair, and it's virtually always going to be a bare king. And since the turn card was the same suit as the king, you don't need to worry about him picking up a backdoor flush draw to go with his top pair.

AK is in his range, but I'm usually discounting it at least a bit since he didn't 3-bet preflop.
Would he take this bet-bet line with KQ/KJ/K10, or do you think he would check-call with them?

...If you think he'd take this line with those hands, I think you picked a great spot and just happened to run into the top of his range this time.

Flats AKpf, leads 30 into 108 then calls of 150bb.. You have to reconsider villains description

And i just call getting direct odds.

Ime, these donk bets are often weak hands seeing where they are at. I would raise to $65 on the flop, expecting a fair amount of folds (from KQ, KJ, KT), and planning to take the free card if he calls. If we hit our heart draw, I bomb the turn.

If we look at the results my line looks bad. However:

1) often he won't have AK here but will instead have something weaker

2) often he will bet bigger than he did on the turn after we just call the flop, pricing us out.

So I think the "raise for fold equity/free card" play is a good one here.

This.

I wouldn't raise this turn...pretty much ever, having given up initiative in the hand.

I don't raise flop without a read that the donker is capable of folding Kx. As played OTT, just call and hit your hand, particularly since it's so well disguised that you are likely to get paid when you bink. Not sure what you're trying to rep with the raise.

why do you guys feel the need to put yourself in these situations in live play? People just don't fold enough. How many times have you stacked off with a set and had someone call with top pair weak kicker?

If you were to do this move - the guy has to be good enough to fold. Usually they aren't. most people don't drive to the casino to fold top pair.

Live poker is very easy. You make a hand and value it. That is all you have to do. I bluff - but usually it's a cbet or a small bet on the river that doesn't risk my whole stack. I have bluffed my whole stack before - and it usually works but I rarely do it.

I have to agree. I see this dichotomous thinking here all the time. "I'll call to hit my hand and get paid when I do.... actually, I'll steal the pot instead!" It has to be one or the other and at the tables I play at, it's the first one. Call getting great odds and get paid when you hit.

Played fine, bet big if you hit, AK is paying you off all day.