1-2 NL
Fishy club game with almost entirely loose passive players.

Villain is an extremely passive player who has been seen checking in
the big blind with pocket aces, and check/calling with top set on a dry board. He is also
quite loose however calling preflop with about 45% of all hands.

My plan is to simply push strong hands for max value. It is difficult to read his hands,as he could be check/calling with the immortal nuts or top pair no kicker.

Villain has $247, Hero has $400 and MP has about $250

UTG limps, MP 1 limps, villain in Hijack limps, cutoff limps.
Hero on the button raises to 22 with QdQc. MP1 calls, Villain calls.

So far these calls don't really mean much strength. These players might call here with the top 10 or 15% of their range.

Flop 9d 3d 9c ($68)

Check, Check, Hero bets $50. Fold, villain fiddles with chips for a little, then calls.

While it is possible this player could have a K9 or A9, it think him having trips is somewhat unlikely, moreover I cant be afraid of every board that comes out.

Turn 3s ($168)

Villain checks. Hero thinks for a little then bets $100. Villain quickly smooth calls.

Here I am trying to determine if it is prudent to slow down. I conclude that
I played this hand this way to build a big pot. With my preflop and flop bet, and a rapidly escalting SPR, I realize that I am committed and cannot check or fold. So I bet $100.

The 3 is a pretty safe card. Although possible he has one, its more likely he would have folded most threes preflop (save for 33). If he has quad threes or quad 9s oh well. Here I am mostly worried about slow played AA or KK.


River 4d ($368)

Villian Shoves for $75, Hero calls.

Thoughts?

I don't like the Turn bet against a villain who could too easily have a random 9 or even 3. I also think the flop cbet is a bit big, I like $35 more. I'd rather play small ball in this scenario than build a big pot where I end up committed to call off his stack.

I'd bet $35 on flop, check the turn and call any modest bet on the river.

Why are we betting the turn? We have a bluff catcher at this point I think. I don't see us getting value from TT/JJ here. Value from A high? Are we trying to bluff him off threes full or what?

I like a check here then calling any smallish river bet. I don't think going for three streets of value with an overpair is good when the board double pairs. Pretty happy letting one check through because then he might think his A high is good.

As played, I'm folding to an "extremely passive player" and not worrying about it at all. Passive players aren't bluffing, especially when we've shown this much strength. They also aren't betting A high; they are happy to ch/call that. He has a full house here like 95% of the time.

Although he could have a 9, I don"t think its likely he has a 3 given the preflop raise.

As said I before, Im not interested in playing small pots against these players. I need to push my strong hands and maximize my value against them.

This opponent rarely bets unless he has a very strong hand, why am I
calling the river in a small pot?

Yes we are and worse. 44-88. And actually, probably even value from A high. Although thats less likely after turn call.

I'm not folding getting almost 6-1 on the river.

After the flop call, his range looks something like Ax, AA-22, 9x, 3x. Way ahead or way behind.

On the turn, I think this is time for pot control. I don't like a bet here. This hand really isnt that strong of a hand anymore.

Once you get called, I think you're way behind. The instacall usually means two things - 1) He never even considered folding and 2) he never considered raising. This usually means a mediocre/middling hand, but from a player who doesn't raise monsters, maybe point 2 is moot. If he never considered folding, I think you're looking at 9x more often than would make sense. I suppose JJ-TT might call here, but I would think he might pause to consider your big turn bet before calling with a pocket pair here.

I'd also call on the river - out of curiosity and pot stuckedness. This river bet means that you're toast, though.

+1

Getting 6 to 1 on the river doesn't matter when you are beat 100% of the time

On flop, I do think we are getting value from any two diamonds as well as a lot of pocket pairs. But I agree with checking back the turn. If I'm playing my A game and villain is as passive as OP says, it's probably best to fold to any river bet. I don't see a true loose passive player value betting 88/TT there. Definitely value bet river if checked to.

I understand the OPs point that the villains range is wide and we shouldn't be scared of every board. Totally agree. But the fact is, villain simply isn't calling two consecutive large bets without the goods here, unless we are certain he is chasing a flush draw.

Prob checking the turn

+1

On the double paired board, I'd just check the turn to pot control.

It's hard to fold the river for 6-1, but you're almost never good here.

Turn bet is fine...Can easily get called by PPs and FDs.

River I think you can actually find the hero fold here.

I really hate villains like this. Easier to outplay Ivey imo. Impossible to soul-read, I find myself value-owning myself against him. You almost want to take this guy aside for 10 minutes and teach him some basic fundamentals of the game so he'll play with some coherent ability that you can recognize.

Turn is a check, as there's nothing he's calling with that we beat. We're only beating TT and JJ, and there are way more 9x and 3x combos in his range than that.

River is an easy fold, pot odds be damned. He's NEVER shoving here with 2pr, this is a boat every time.

Your hand just isn't that strong on the turn. That's why people are suggesting slowing down on the turn. Preflop QQ is a huge hand. On the turn, on this board, it's no longer a big hand.

If these guys are putting hundreds of dollars in the pot with 55 on a 9933 board, then you can find much better spots against them. They're really, really bad at poker.

Grunch:
Pre is fine if they are calling as wide as you say.

Flop is a bit big in general, but if they are calling with any PP 22 - AA, any 9 and any 3 then we are ahead of that range, so yeah lest bet bigger if they will call with that whole range. The if is prtty important here though.

On the turn we fall pretty far behin that range almost 2:1 against in fact. So, lets just check.

On the river, I can't see a hand that is worse that he's possible betting for value, so it's likely a fold. Esp from a passive player. And one who likes to slow play. But if you want to burn $75 then sure go ahead and call.

Happy hunting.

I like a smaller bet of $35-$40 on flop...check on turn for pot control against V...call small bet on river. If he fires out big...he's supposed to be a passive villain, so i'm folding.

Thanks everyone, lots of good thoughts.

Out of curiosity, how does this hand change if the turn comes a brick, say the 2s?

results to come...

Still a turn check and a river fold as played imo. I don't think the 3 pairing is as much of an concern.

I was thinking about this hand earlier today, if the flop was 434dd instead... I think your flop/turn line would be more appropriate in that case, but could be wrong.

.

No different. The only card that changes the Turn action would be a Q, maybe another 9.

Results as promised for those interested.