Never ever open-fold TT. I think you can really mix it up with this hand and open anywhere from $15-30 and it's completely fine. Note: if I open to $15, it's often because there are some people at the table who are 3betting light and I want to be able to 4bet this hand for value, but I'm also ok with a string of callers that increase my set-mining odds.... Basically this hand plays fine heads up or in big multiway situations.

I am not suggesting open-folding TT, lol. I am saying when I am delt a hand, it's either a folding hand or a 20 hand, so I do not tip my hand strength to an observant opponent. I could be opening light with a suited connector, and it's still 20.

Thinking you can only raise $20 ever pre is cookie cutter poker. $30 is fine depending table conditions. If you're still getting lots of calls from worse hands.

Obv $20 is my standard, but if I'm at a table with loose call stations who will call $30 with basically the same range they're calling $20, then obv you wanna start building the pot as you dominate their range. It's a rare situation, but I've definitely been at tables like this.

But yeah $30 shouldn't be your standard for all tables, but there are times where it is more +EV than $20.

Checking this flop is terrible lol. You are being results orientated because we got raised, but the reality is there are a ton of hands we crush where it would be a pretty big mistake to let them check back flop when we can get value from them.

Why haven't we moved on with the hand?

Whole hand is epically gross all around. Looking forward to the conclusion.

Yeah $20 is my default as well and usually stay consistent to not give anything away, especially as I am usually opening more hands than anybody else. But I do mix in other sizing, but it also tends to be a bit random - like if I find myself wanting to open premiums larger, then I will also do that sometimes with non-premiums (usually suited Broadways down to maybe like 89s), and I will sometimes go smaller with big hands to induce 3bets if there are at least two active 3betters at the table.

Gotcha. Agree with everything you've said here.

Anyone gonna comment on river?

I don't want to check/fold... So I like b/f... $300-350/fold... I don't think this villain is ever going to raise you here unless you're beat, but will always call with AK.... However, if you somehow know that villain will never ever bet this river with a hand you beat (specifically AK), then obviously check/fold.

Yeah..it feels so fishy but I think I donk/fold here as well targeting AK

Bet/fold something slightly larger than our break even amount

Does villain ever fold AK to a shove here?

Yes.

Stop picking on me johnny. Mods!!!

Bet/fold seems like a decent option to me. Next is check/call. Your opponent's most likely holding is KK, then JJ, then QQ/QJ/QT roughly in that order. I don't know how likely it is the player is flatting QJs or QTs to say for sure. You want some chips in the pot, but not all. Opponent is not stacking off with something less like AQ, or AK, so I think you should fold to a raise against a standard opponent like this. Though you fold too much and you risk being run-over.

I'm okay w/ mixing it up, but it's hard to be truly "random" without constantly glancing at your watch or something. Maybe incorporate a watch to randomize while not seeming too robot. Varying bet-sizes at whim is not "random", there's always an underlying psychological reason. Next would be to randomly throw in a hand I saw win a few hours ago as a bluff. That way I play without being too random, and have to look at my watch or whatever.

<--- paranoid about the hole cards

GET ON WITH IT

(image not loading)

Well it's not truly random, or meant to be random... It's more like, I have 89s and I think that given table dynamics everybody's (or at least some of the better/more aware players) are going to put me on a premium hand if I make it $30-35 now when I've constantly been opening to $20, and therefore I can set myself up for some good barreling opportunities and can get some undue credit.

Ultimately, I think the point is just to be very aware of your image and your range and know which players are paying attention.

The riv is a check.

Haha. I think we can get value from AK, but not anywhere near a shove. Bet/folding prevents us from value towning ourself when he's got a bigger boat. I like anything around $300.

Why?

If it's a check, it's a check/fold IMO. I like $300/fold better. I feel like he's got way more straight and AQ combos than full house combos and he checks the straight combos pretty much always.

Pot is just over 1k with just under 1k behind. Op feels v won't call a pot shove with any hands we beat.

Check/call smallish bet or fold to shove. Or lead 300-350 and fold to shove.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Appreciate that. Tried to help, but my tone could've been better for sure.

Flop was a clear fold if you believe your ranging, imo.

I'm surprised more of you guys don't feel it's a bit spewy/optimistic to lead the river after villain bombed the turn?

Besides the wonkiness of bet-c, ck-c, bet line (and by wonky I mean no clear EV adv over a standard line)...

...Players are just often wider IP than they seem, even in narrow range spots like this one. What's interesting here is this is still only a 2b pot pre with a routine bet-raise/check call heading to the river. The pot size is quite enormous but the action itself really hasn't narrowed us to super-cooler levels just yet which tells me I'm doing myself a disservice leading a river/narrowing myself to boats/AK minimum.

I just can't get past that he was taking a raise-fold approach IP otf with a hand like 98/K9 (testing against our AK/getting value while he can from KK+/KQ+) more so than QJ/T/JJ (that TAGgy types call a LOT more often than 'vulnerable' straights). As such, he still might bet these hands on the turn and I would like to at least give him the opportunity to have some riv bets for value against my KK/AA/AQ/KQ which are at least still reasonably in my perceived turn ck-c range.

I want to show this hand down as best I can, which checking allows me to do against more of his range than having bet it.

I can't stop spewing so I'll put this next bit of nonsense in a spoiler