Quote:
Originally Posted by adonson
I regretted raising only 30. Next time I will bet 40. In 1/2 I usually raise to 20 against a button straddle.
Said it before, I'll say it again - I hate the BTN straddle. I think it really effs up the game. Here, you've got the blinds folding, so at least we don't need to worry about them sand-bagging anything.
I don't think it was a huge mistake to only bet 30. You only got 2 callers, the BTN and this guy who's been eye-f**king you, which is creepy AF, but whatevs, weirdos gonna do weird stuff.
V called, but you didn't give his position. If you can see him staring at you, my guess is he wasn't next to act, and more likely sitting across from you, maybe 2-4 seats away. Just wondering if his range is wider because there were players who folded before it got to him, or stronger because he called next to act, or still in EP/MP, with more players behind.
I'm mostly looking at his raise size as being the key factor here, but in game I'd be trying to figure out if he shows up here with every combo of 2P, TT/88, and every combo of J9/97s. I'm mostly viewing his smallish raise as repping the same sort of range that would donk-bet small - weak top pairs, and draws that don't want you to barrel turn huge.
If he had thick value, I'd think he'd raise larger, when the board is so wet. The only sort of hand that makes a lot of sense for this sizing would be some weak AXdd - he's not worried about using a small sizing and you out-drawing him because he has the NFD, and you're probably not opening J9/97 from UTG very often, so he's putting you squarely on AJs-AK, no diamonds.
Just trying to get inside his creepy little head - wondering if he raised small just to push the BTN out of the hand, rather than play a draw sandwiched between the PFR and the widest range on the BTN. Again, it smells a little fishy-weak to me, because if he had value, and was worried about draws, he wouldn't want to risk the BTN calling, and you getting a good price to continue. I could see AXdd also wanting the BTN out of there, to get HU with you.
As a general rule of tells, someone looking away from the game BEFORE the action gets to them is a sign of strength, not wanting to appear interested or threatening, so as not to discourage players in front from putting money in.
Once he raises and looks away, that's not quite as telling, but it MIGHT be a sign of weakness, hoping to avoid eye contact, not wanting to expose too much of his face to you, in case his expression gives something away, possibly trying to appear calm and unconcerned, not worried about you calling or jamming, not wanting to antagonize you into making a light call, etc.
I'll sometimes look away from the game, rather than looking down at the board, with value and bluffs, when I jam. But if I'm not all-in, I'll generally look at my opponent, so I can spot any tells he may be giving off. His looking away might be a sign that he's not thinking about his action on future streets, because he's folding if you jam, or if you call and he doesn't improve on the turn.
While I understand the comments suggesting we just call if we think he's weak, I don't like it, because there are so many turns we're going to hate, and it's going to be weird if we call his raise, and then donk on a brick, breaking with game flow, and allowing him to play perfectly, while letting him set his own price to suck out on us.
We're going to hate any diamond, any Q, J, 7 or 6, and even a seeming brick might make him 2P with AXdd.
If we bet small and he raised big, I could see just flatting and check-evaluating on the turn. If we bet bigger and he raised any size, I'd probably just fold, or call and check-evaluate.
But when we bet just over half pot, and he goes just barely over 2x, it's fishy AF, and I don't like it. We'll be going to the turn with around 1SPR, and no idea where we're at on any card that isn't a non-diamond A or K. I'm not buying this guy has TPTK beat right now, and I don't want to play OOP with 1SPR on the turn. I just want to get stacks in now.