Setting:
Red Rock Casino
1-2 game

Players:
This is my first hand of the evening.
I begin with $300. Other players cover me.
Opponent is a 50 year old man.


Hero is in the HJ with 8 7
Hero opens to 8 - Btn calls - BB calls
3 Players
Pot = $25

Flop: T 6 4
BB checks - Hero bets $20 - Btn raises to $45 - BB folds - Hero shoves for $292 ...

My thoughts in hindsight ...
I would have played this very differently in position.
But out of position, what is the best line to take?

Please advise.

--CM

First of all, bigger pre. Raising to 8 bucks in a 1/2 game after a limper is way to small. 12-15 please. Not just with 78s, with your whole range in this spot.

As played we are basically never folding this monsterdraw of course with these stacksizes, so it becomes an EV question. What do we think nets us the most money here.


One of the most important factors to gauge our EV of the different lines available to us, is our opponent in the hand. Like, yes you said he is 50 years old (OMC?), or is he more of an active player? Ranging his flopraise range as accurately as possible is very important.

But yeah- in a vacuum i would call more and use position when i have it, and fastplay more when i am OOP. That doesent mean i will never fastplay in position though, for example if this guy is a buttonclicker with one pair type of hands and have a fold button it could be a massive win for us to 3 bet the flop and get him to fold a made hand so he gives up his equity in the hand to us.

Preflop needs to be bigger or just limp. Given a table of unknown opponents I greatly prefer the limp. You don't know how much FE you have yet or how to play post flop. Take the cheap options and see what develops.

Flop bet is a bit too big, $15 gets just as many folds. You want the smallest bet that gets people to fold so you can make further bets in the hand. After that it's guesswork. Hand is too good to fold without a strong read. Without any clue what villain's range or play style is is there is no way to know if shove flop or call flop is higher EV. The near min raise on a drawish board suggests 66/44 so I favor a call.

well played at every decision making point imo.

I’d be happy to see more on the preflop and less on the flop. AP ez jam, sometimes they have Tx and fold and you’re never in horrific shape


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I would bet more pre ($15 is good in the rooms I play in), less on the flop ($15 seems right given the actual pot size).

Playing it fast is super ideal OOP though I wouldn't ship 146 BB into what is then only $90 pot against an unknown player. I think it's better to three-bet for around $150 on the flop. Your massive jam is just so polarizing.

Also you have a ton of equity over any hands so you don't mind a call on the flop. If villain does have a hand that will always call your overbet, like a set or maybe Jacks, the money is going in anyway.

I would beat a flop five-bet shove into the pot. If called you have options on the turn (though I would shove most turns, there are some where a check is fine I think).

Can't wait to see what villain did/had and the result!