Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t10/t20 Blinds - 8 players
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CO: t2980 M = 99.33
Hero (BTN): t2745 M = 91.50
SB: t2980 M = 99.33
BB: t3000 M = 100
UTG: t3000 M = 100
UTG+1: t3180 M = 106
MP1: t3000 M = 100
MP2: t3000 M = 100

Pre Flop: (t30) Hero is BTN with A J
5 folds, Hero raises to t60, SB calls t50, 1 fold

Flop: (t140) J 8 6 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets t100, SB raises to t280, Hero calls t180

Turn: (t700) 2 (2 players)
SB bets t340, Hero?

Looks good so far.

Now call the turn, and see what happens on the river. Isn't position nice?

Raising turn would be pretty bad imo.

Call and prepare to soul read the river.

fwiw i'd open to about 80-100 IP in these early levels to discourage loose calls.... i think it would be might be spewy to raise it to ~990 and fold to a ship (which i sometimes do, leak?) since you'd put in 1/2 of your stack in but calling would leave you with an awkward river spot if he fires out for another 1000 or so... does anyone like calling turn/river instead?

*Edit: Willy - would raising the turn not be ok since he's probably only shipping in over pairs or better hands than TPTK? and it would require us putting in less chips than calling turn raising the river?

I mean, for some more detail, I think the two options I'd consider here are:

1. Fold to flop raise. It's a dry board, we don't expect many semi-bluffs, SB looks strong, and his line is certainly consistent with 88 or 66; it's early, we only have a top pair hand that is unlikely to improve, and, even when it does improve, it doesn't beat what villain is representing; we know we'll face a turn bet almost always and a river bet fairly often; we don't want to play a big pot early where it's possible we're hopelessly behind and will have to soul read 2 more streets. Folding feels a little weak, but I think it's fine to reassess/fold TPTK hands facing a c/r on the flop on a dry board with deep stacks and avoid RIO spots on later streets.

2. Call flop, call turn, soul read river.

Depending on action/turn texture, I'd almost never call the flop planning to fold to a turn bet... we expect a turn bet around 100% of the time, so calling flop then folding turn seems really indecisive/spewy. Raising the flop is also spewy imo; we're basically "raising for information;" we blow villain off most worse hands and get value-towned by all better hands. A raise doesn't provide value, and it's not a bluff, so don't do it.

Thinking through the whole line, and readless, I think folding the flop is best. Calling the flop turns our hand into a bluff catcher on 2 more streets where the pot is growing and we're submitting to worse and worse RIO issues when we call.

Still, calling the flop in position is fine. Just don't call flop planning to fold or raise the turn bet villain is going to make with close to 100% of his range.

The turn doesn't change anything. Calling down bets around 1/2ps to a lot of turns and rivers seem fine.

I kinda prefer 3betting flop than calling off streets.

although as played I kinda like a fold on the turn.

Excellent post sir. Subtle points but very informative.

Disagree. Flatting and stationing keeps worse jacks and his semi-bluff draws in his range while 3betting flop folds out everything we get (cept for random spazz). I prefer the pot control method where we either win the pot or lose the smallest possible while still getting to showdown.

And no to opening 80-100 nowik. We should likely assume we play better than most Villain's post at these levels. Therefore we want to see flops and feel comfortable playing them. Opening to 60 will allow us to pot control (see above) better esp. in position early.

nh so far and I would call again and play the river

As letthecardsfall said.... I like flatting behinnd on the flop to keep worse hands in and control teh pot in pos. Now... if we flat behind on the turn and teh villain cks to us on the riv is anyone v-betting this? and how much?

yes...if check to we bet 875

I probably check behind.

First, it depends a lot on the river card. For example, I'd probably almost always check behind the Qc as every draw (flush, straight) gets there, and QJ would also improve. With the Qc, a value bet is pretty slim if profitable at all.

Second, with TPTK, I also think it generally makes sense to take a bet/bet/check pot control line here more often than playing for 75% of our stack with bet/bet/bet or trying to play a smaller pot with check/bet/bet.

Not sure we really get 3 streets of value against the part of his range we're beating, and I prefer to bet flop and turn to get value/protection from draws and to take control of the hand. So I think there's a good case to plan to check river behind, and obviously the specific reason is that I don't think we get enough value from hands we're beating.