Game is $2-$100 spread-limit (max you can raise is $100 over the previous bet).

I have a stack of $800 and am viewed as the most aggressive player in the game.

THE HAND:

UTG limps, couple folds, HJ (drunk, bad, $250) opens to $6. CO (young Asian, competent, $300 stack) calls. I have AsJs on the Button and 3-bet to $24. SB (drunk, bad, $150) cold-calls. HJ calls. CO calls. 4-ways.

FLOP: Jh7s4c ($100, 4-ways).

Everyone checks to me. I bet $35. SB calls. HJ folds. CO raises MAX to $135.

Action is on me, and, two questions:

1) what should I do? (of course!) and
2) should the fact that I have a backdoor flush draw make me *more* or *less* likely to continue?

He's got a half PSB left and is x/r two players on this flop? Would be nice to know some player types but if I had just sat down and knew absolutely no one I'm just calling here. Also would be nice to know EP stack (SB? UTG?) size, if he's the type to back raise here. I think its just a call IP eval turn here. Not that deep either. Would plan to call off on any brick turns (which is almost everything except a 3 or 8).

Does our having the backdoor Nut Flush Draw make calling a better option than raising? Or does it not matter?

It's not a really nice spot to be in imo. Since there is no FD out there this limits his bluff combos to OESD and if he is super fancy the occasional set blocker. He also never raises worse for value, so you are either way ahead or way behind. The bdf obviously works in your favour, because you can pick up additional equity versus hands that have you crushed. Since you are not really deep and the fishes in the hand mind change the dynamic a bit I would call turns that do not complete the straight. If the fishes come along things change a bit.

The BDFD certainly makes you more likely to continue, but I think it’s in the call instead of fold weighting, rather than raising va calling (if that makes sense).

I 3-bet more PF, probably to 30.

AP, when you bet the flop and the SB calls and the CO max raises, it’s a pretty meh spot. I assume he doesn’t do this with a random J.

Unless he has a high bluff frequency in this spot I probably just fold. This is pure value line and he expects to go to showdown. I know it sounds nitty but we’re not beating any of his value range and I can’t find a lot of logical bluffs in his range given this texture.

This is where I landed.

RESULT: I folded. SB folded, CO wins without showing.

I was convinced CO’s line was a value line, and I didn’t think he was the type of player to do that with like KJ or something.

My general feeling at these games is that I should fold to basically all Max bets unless I’m at the absolute top of my range. And even then…you just don’t see enough $100 bluffs to make light call-downs, and, you REALLY don’t see enough bluffs to make three light $100 call-downs on the same hand!

(I suppose I could have called once, in the hopes of picking up a spade, or, in case he was just trying a bluff just on the flop and was going to give up if I called. But I folded pretty quickly and didn’t spend too long second-guessing my decision. Throughout the session, CO got involved in a few more big pots, and every time he went to showdown he had a monster. And he also would fold an overpair to me in a spot later on. So…I’m thinking he just hit a set and I made a good fold.)

I certainly don’t blame you for folding. Seems ridiculous to think he might be doing this with a gutshot or any other type of top pair. Seems like it is very likely a set. Since it is spread limit though, I may just call here with the BdFD. As I understand it the most he could bet on the turn would be 100 if it goes heads up? Not super familiar with the format so may be wildly incorrect but we would be getting the correct odds to draw if we pick up equity on the turn and he max bets. Interested to see more peoples thoughts on folding here. Gross spot

My only imput here is to pactice putting opponent on a range of hands and evaluating equity.

What is his opening range that calls your 3bet here?

I assume—since he called one small opening raise and then another large 3-bet, and since he seems competent—that his range is pretty heavily weighted towards small pocket pairs, maybe with the occasional suited wheel ace thrown in.

It's not bad to fold here, but your 1/3 pot lead into the field is weak. It looks like a standard c-bet steal IP, especially with your table image. Either bet bigger or check back and play a turn with a hand that's going to be good most of the time OTF. Most turn cards will be safe, and you can rep some that hit your range if it checks back around to you.