Villain was loose aggro 25/22 over ~200 hands with a 54% steal

He and I are the two big stacks in the tourney


PokerStars - $3.19+$0.31|200/400 Ante 25 NL - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

BTN: 13,567.00
SB: 7,459.00
Hero (BB): 9,277.00
UTG: 1,999.00
CO: 5,031.00

BTN posts ante 25.00, SB posts ante 25.00, Hero posts ante 25.00, UTG posts ante 25.00, CO posts ante 25.00, SB posts SB 200.00, Hero posts BB 400.00

Pre Flop: (725.00) Hero has Q K

fold, fold, BTN raises to 800.00, fold,Hero?


In any regular scenario I would 3 bet him and not think twice, but we're the big stacks and the bubble is coming up. Maybe a call is appropriate?

There is also something to be said about 3 betting him here to get folds later on in the tourney, assuming will have position at FT

KQo isn't a compulsory 3-bet most of the time. You fold out a lot of the hands you beat and just play with stronger ones. It depends a bit how wide you think he is at the moment (based on this tournament with him as a big stack on the button rather than general stats). Sometimes 3-betting can be the lower variance play however. If you raise him and he re-raises you can safely fold. A lot of the time you just take it down pre-flop.

If you call though don't just play fit-or-fold on the flop.

I wouldn't really take this into account. You don't really know who is paying attention and who isn't. Also, it could backfire and lead to your 3-bet jams being called light later on. Just make the best move now rather than offering loss-leaders.

my friend i think its a very good hand for go to rush..i think a call its a good decision and you will reexamine the situation on the flop..

I lean towards the 3 bet, and the reason for that is 54% is super wide. This stat is over about 30 steals in 50 sum spots. If I 3 bet here I think i'm folding out all but the top 7% that's 88+ ATs AQo KJs maybe AJo too. And I have blockers to all but a few of those.

If I call I have to rely on hitting the flop, which is decent odds with the min raise. KQ inherently plays bad OOP, if I hit and get action I can't be sure I have the best hand.

When I do hit with the best hand I'll probably only get one street of value before he shuts down.

Rip

So given your explanation, you're 3-betting as a bluff then. I don't like it. It's too strong to turn into a bluff.

Its very unlikely that he's opening 50%+ and only continuing with 7%. If he was just 3bet everything. You don't have enough history with him to know this, and he may well 4bet shove quite wide as that really puts you in the cage.

See 3 here IMO. Ripping is surely profitable too, albeit maybe high variance. Giving a perceived aggro player an opportunity to put in the last bet in a BTN vs BB spot with a hand that strong that you're then planning to fold doesn't seem great IMO.

Thanks Fam