eury,

J9 hand - I'd fold almost every time. At least you did bluff after calling on the flop.

T8 hand - flop is a good spot to raise and then give up if called. Not terribly played though imho.

Q8 hand - You were probably right, but I'm never folding to that river minraise. I'll usually check-call the turn.

KJ hand - I would bet bigger on turn and bet the river too. Not betting the river is a sin.

oh yeah, I wouldn't defend the Q8s hand unless the villain was hugely spewy. I played a guy last night who just lost buyin after buyin and I loosened way up preflop to get into pots with him.

The QQ hand - are there any unusual circumstances? If so, maybe. If not, no.

By far the biggest error in these hands is not betting your KJ hand enough.

I'm going to give my $.02 but keep in mind this is new ground for me so please people feel free to be critical of anything and everything if its unsound thinking.

I don't believe approaching it in this manner is too helpful if your 3bet% figures are coming from datamined stats.

Regarding the preflop:

I believe personal history, and especially recent history, is much more relevant. Your own table image needs to factored into the decision as well as how you've responded to his recent 3-bets.

If you've been folding to them or calling them I don't necessarily like 4-betting, but if you've 4-bet villain several times already, then 4-betting with the intention of calling a shove is great.

Regarding the flop:

So if I got to this point against someone I believe is 3-betting me way too light, and because of all the other factors discussed in preflop I chose to call, I would still probably fold to his c-bet here.

Yes, you can't call preflop with AK and fold every flop you miss. That doesn't mean you intend to jam over his c-bet on every flop either.

I would like at least a flop that's a bit less coordinated, and it's also nice if you have at least a gutshot with your overs or some backdoor possibilities.

One other thing I've noticed recently is that some of these players that love to constantly 3-bet any LP open often shut down when facing resistance unless they have a hand. I think they probably watch a couple of CR videos and decide 3-betting is the cats meow but have no idea what to do when they get played back at.

This is another reason why reads and personal history are more important than datamined stats. You want to make sure your villain is the type that doesn't like to give up on his 3-bet pots without firing at least a c-bet.

First hand at the table.
Standard or overplayed?
He thought a lot before calling flopreraise and turnbet.
Considering this, betting like 15-20 bucks at the river seems superior...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

CO ($25)
Button ($60.35)
SB ($61)
Hero ($50)
UTG ($52.60)
MP ($43.25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, 4.
1 fold, MP calls $0.50, 3 folds, Hero checks.

Flop: ($1.25) 4, T, K (2 players)
Hero bets $1, MP raises to $2, Hero raises to $6, MP calls $4.

Turn: ($13.25) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $10, MP calls $10.

River: ($33.25) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $33.5 (All-In), MP folds.

Final Pot: $66.75

sence,

maybe 3bet a little more on the flop... it will help on later streets. i think i do like betting less on the river but shoving is ok too.

Villian is standard 36/5/2.17/reason I'm sitting here. Preflop is a bit loose, I guess, but I'm experimenting and think I can play it profitably in this spot. He had a low flop AF and high turn/river AF and I had a note that he was capable of calling the flop with nothing. I don't think he's capable of floating...I just think he likes to get to the turn before folding. I don't recall specifics, but I'm sure I'd been getting on his nerves if he's this loose passive preflop.

Poker Stars, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

Hero (UTG): $300.50
MP: $55.75
CO: $102.05
BTN: $114.95
SB: $90.70
BB: $100

Pre-Flop: 5 8 dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $4, 2 folds, BTN calls $4, 2 folds

Flop: ($9.50) A Q Q (2 Players)
Hero bets $8, BTN calls $8

Turn: ($25.50) 6 (2 Players)
Hero bets $13, BTN calls $13

River: ($51.50) 3 (2 Players)
Hero bets $30, BTN raises to $60, Hero raises to $90, BTN calls $29.95 and is All-In

Karp, this is a math problem. Do the math. The only variable you don't have is what part of their range they are going to call you with.

1. Pick some reasonable range for your 3bet% and find the equity of your push vs various calling ranges for villain. Find a calling range for villain for which your push is neutral.

2. Discuss how it might affect your image if you are called and how you would attempt to take advantage of that.

Your assignment is due on Friday and will be graded.

Venetian,
Call river for sure he can have full houses or better flushes.

Karp,
If you are going to shove co-ordinated flops like that 4bet call a shove pre is much better.

Very common shortstack situation...no reads.

Poker Stars $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

CO: $11.20
BTN: $110.90
SB: $241.25
BB: $136.20
Hero (UTG): $106.20
MP: $73.20

Pre Flop: Hero is UTG with A J
Hero raises to $4, 1 fold, CO calls $4, 3 folds

Flop: ($9.50) 3 Q 3 (2 players)
Hero...

Karp,

Extra credit. Repeat previous work with a different board and compare and contrast each case with 4bet call a shove.

easy push?

Mike, he's never folding a better hand and a lot of these guys will shove 100% of their preflop calling range here if checked to so I would probably check/call.

Mikey,

As it turns out you pushed preflop you just didn't realize it.

If you shove he might fold a few hands you are a big favorite over and never fold anything that's ahead of you. He won't fold hearts on the flop or the turn so protection is irrelevant on the flop.

I'd check/call the flop and push the turn if the flop checks through. I still expect to be called by worse Ace high or King high or w/e.

He had an 11bb stack. I wouldn't be shocked if you shoved the flop and he called with 67.

TY Pudge. I was thinking he was bad enough that he might still call off his last $30 w/ a hand I beat. Probably not true enough of the time. Are flop and turn standard? Bet sizing fine, esp. turn?

Venetian, he would call with a hand that you beat. He would probably call with any hand that he would raise the river with that wasn't air.

He's probably not raising the river with a bad Queen so you are probably a little behind his range at this point, especially if you take out any bluff hands.

BTW, increasing aggression by street often goes along with being bluffy.

Venetian,

Man you can almost bet/fold the river to be honest. I mean I'm sure I'd convince myself that he could have played a queen stupidly or chased a lower flush enough of the time to call a min-raise - and this may actually be true if he sucks, which a 36/5 almost surely does suck - but I wouldn't re-raise.

I mean despite the fact that you have a FD that hit, you gotta consider that his line really indicates he has the same thing. That's at least part of his range. Aces are too, as are queens but on the turn we can sort of discount queens when he flats and on the river we can sort of discount aces when he raises... so that just doesn't leave a lot else.

It's interesting you mentioned this because I've been specifically working on adjusting my play to postflop aggression by street and may have just taken it too far here. I probably saw a high river number and said, well I guess this could be a bluff. I've overplayed the river with less than the nuts against bad players in recent days and am probably just outthinking myself.

I hope this isn't construed as BBV, but I just wanted to post some examples of playing hands very differently because of very different opponents.

Villain here has been loose passive most of the time, but occasionally crazy. We have gotten into it a little and I know this guy just lets pride F with him.


$1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

BTN: $326.00
SB: $233.10
BB: $333.55
UTG: $262.85
Hero (MP): $236.15
CO: $224.43

Pre Flop: Hero is MP with A Q
1 fold, Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, BTN calls $10, 1 fold, BB raises to $20, Hero raises to $70, 1 fold, BB raises to $140, Hero raises to $236.15 all in, BB calls $96.15

Flop: ($483.30) A 4 Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: ($483.30) 6 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($483.30) 7 (2 players - 1 is all in)



_____

This guy is a nutjob. He hasn't done this before, but I think the real battle between me and the other regulars at the table is the race to get this money first.

$1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

CO: $303.65
BTN: $142.45
SB: $73.65
BB: $68.00
Hero (UTG): $537.81
MP: $166.80

Pre Flop: Hero is UTG with A Q
Hero raises to $8, 2 folds, BTN raises to $142, 2 folds, Hero calls $134

Flop: ($287.00) 5 6 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $0.45 all in, Hero calls $0.45

Turn: ($287.90) J (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($287.90) 8 (2 players - 1 is all in)



another hand vs that same villain - he loved to call with crap, so I bet thin. If I knew what he had I would have bet $100 on the river.

$1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

SB: $304.65
BB: $258.45
UTG: $77.65
MP: $70.00
Hero (CO): $412.31
BTN: $172.80

Pre Flop: Hero is CO with 8 8
UTG calls $2, 1 fold, Hero raises to $10, 2 folds, BB calls $8, 1 fold

Flop: ($23.00) 7 6 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $18, BB calls $18

Turn: ($59.00) T (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $54, BB calls $54

River: ($167.00) 2 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $44, BB calls $44



---

This villain was even worse. He never folded. I should have probably bet more on the river here too.

$1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

SB: $997.05
Hero (BB): $524.00
UTG: $465.45
MP: $671.09
CO: $300.00
BTN: $260.82

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with 8 8
2 folds, CO raises to $6, 2 folds, Hero calls $4

Flop: ($13.00) 6 3 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $10, Hero raises to $30, CO calls $20

Turn: ($73.00) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $50, CO calls $50

River: ($173.00) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $58, CO calls $58

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

CO ($257.96)
Hero ($102)
SB ($101.03)
BB ($110)
UTG ($98.50)
MP ($260.11)

Preflop: Hero is Button with T, T.
UTG raises to $4, 2 folds, Hero calls $4, SB calls $3.50, 1 fold.

Flop: ($13) 2, 9, 7 (3 players)
SB checks, UTG bets $8, Hero calls $8, SB folds.

Turn: ($29) 9 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $18, UTG calls $18.

River: ($65) 2 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: $65

whats my line here?



Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

MP ($260.64)
Hero ($136)
Button ($95.53)
SB ($107.50)
BB ($96)
UTG ($262.01)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K, A.
2 folds, Hero raises to $4, Button raises to $12, 2 folds, Hero calls $8.

Flop: ($25.50) 2, T, K (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $12, Hero raises to $48, Button calls $71.53 (All-In), Hero calls $35.53.

Turn: ($192.56) 7 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($192.56) T (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $192.56


the guy got 34 22 stats

is reshoving preflop the better option ?
thx alot

What the hell are you running at? 45/40? I can't imagine 85s can be played remotely profitable utg.

I was a little torn between just betting out and checking. If we check and he checks behind are we risking getting outdrawn?

And if we actually have a hand (say AA or AQ) do you still recommend your advised lines?

edited to add normally the shorties aren't quite this short, usually this situation I'm asking about there's just a little more than a PSB left.

If we're ahead most of the time he's got like 6 outs once since we're going to push the turn if he checks behind, and as microbet explained we're getting it in anyway so we might as well let him put it in when he's behind rather than give him that slim chance to get away from whatever crappy hand he called with.

I would play it the same if he had 1 PSB left and also if I had a made hand.

In the past I have pushed in this spot but I really think checking is the best move.

Nice post micro.

When you have a standard shorty in this spot, he'll call with worse hands pretty often if you shove the flop, but by doing the rope a dope, this might be a bit more profitable.

I just watched a video on Deuces Cracked where DJ Sensei had a short donkey in a similar (even better) situation with AQ on an undercard flop and he just shoved, noting that we are not folding anyway. The donkey called him with AJ (no pair no draw). I'm used to seeing short idiots do this, so thats how I've been playing hands like this, and I'm sure its fine. But you are probably more likely to get the 67o hand to call smaller bets. Since we are not folding anyway, why not slowplay?

thats one of those super-drawy flops that hits way too many of his trashy SCs and you dont even have a back-door draw to go with your overs so just toss it

yeah people always say that they dont want PF advice on the hands they post but this is a terrible open unless you're like the sickest postflop ever.

Basically what FD said.

So many people get a mentality of "I'm going to play back at this bastard who is 3betting me" instead of "I'm going to start looking for good spots to play back at this bastard who is 3betting me" which is dangerous. You start doing it blindly just because you feel like you're getting ran over, and you play right into what they're doing.

AKss on that board is not a great spot to make a move.

Also, even if you did want to make a move, shoving the flop isn't the way to go about it imo. Think about this - he's calling with any overpair, he's calling with any good draw getting 2:1, and he's folding most of the rest of his range. The portion of his range he folds to a flop shove, he'd probably check/fold with on the turn anyway. So you can try the same move by floating the flop and you'll get nearly identical results with half the variance. You also might get the added advantage of folding out his good draws, which is fine since they still have a decent amount of equity against you... if I'm making a move on the flop though, I'd like to have a decent amount of equity myself against his calling range, which you won't in that hand.