So here I got into a somewhat weird spot with 31 BB after an UTG 3 x open. I considered jamming, but thought my stack was a bit too big for it. But as played, the stack to pot ratio is rather awkward and I didn't know what the best way was to proceed..
Wondering how you would play this hand preflop (jam, smaller 3bet?) and as played, how to continue now. Thanks!

What reason would you have to bet? I would like to just showdown at this point.

Yes, I think I agree with that. What is our plan on turn and/or river if we face a bet?

Do you agree with the 3bet and sizing btw?

Yeah, sizing seems ok. Could maybe go a tad bit smaller but it's w/e.

It depends what the card and size is, but prob folding. We basically got one of a few flops that we have to shutdown on esp since they're prob not peeling pre that light utg.

I'm going to chime in here to see if I'm getting this right. I am 100% not an expert so don't take anything as fact.

We want to check back on the flop here because betting doesn't really do much for us right now. Because of the Ace and the fact that we're in a low SPR he has a ton of hands that are going to Jam on our bet. When that happens we can't call.

If we bet and he jams we're only looking at:

9d9s, 9d9c, 9s9c, AdQd, AcQc, AdJd, AsJs, AcJc, KhJh, AdTd, AsTs, AcTc, AdQc, AsQd, AsQc, AcQd = 16 combos

for his range which would put us at 14% equity so we can't call. We now have to fold out our good hand so we lose.

We can't really bet for value either because his calling range is so small:

JJ-TT, JTs, Td9d, Ts9s, Tc9c = 16 combos at best. He might just fold out 9s as well making our value range only JJ-TT, JTs, which is 13 combos. And are we getting two streets of value here? Probably not.

and his folding range is tiny:
KdJd, KsJs, KcJc, JdTd, JsTs, JcTc = 6 combos.

We're also not betting to protect our hand because we're only protecting against a King.

That leaves us with checking as the better strategy.

Someone let me know if that's right or if the ranges don't make sense. I'm still working on that.

Thanks for breaking the range down very specifcally Blue. I think, in general, I would put 77, 88 and AJo in his range too, although that definitely does not change the picture too much and actually makes his range stronger on this flop. The hand continues:



So, we fold here?

I'll just preface this by saying I'm not good with bet sizing. I don't really know what it means that he only bet 1/3 so I'm just not really worrying about it.

I took his entire range and removed the hands that he probably wouldn't bet here with.

Here's his range that I had him on.
99, AQs-ATs, T9s, KhQh, KcQc, KhJh, KcJc, AQo

And really the only thing that I don't think he would bet here are his middle draws and JJ, TT. I took our the pairs here because from his perspective he doesn't get any value there so he'd just check. The middle draws he probably wouldn't want to risk a dominated draw so he's only semi-bluffing this his high hard draws.

So here's his new range and our equity:

[FONT=courier new][SIZE=12]
Board: A97*9
*******Equity*****Win*****Tie
UTG+1**81.46%**81.46%***0.00%*{ 99, AQs-ATs, T9s, KhQh, KcQc, KhJh, KcJc, QhJh, QcJc, AQo }
BU*****18.54%**18.54%***0.00%*{ QhQs }
[/SIZE][/FONT]

We only get 18.54% and we're being offered 20% so it looks like we're forced to fold here. He just simply doesn't have that many bluffs.

I'd love to hear what anyone thinks about the bet sizing and if that changes anything.

I think folding is fine if we don't think they're betting hearts and such like this.

It's unusual to see the 1/3 sizing on the turn after the flop gets checked through, but that sizing is typical when a player has the range advantage on the board. In a spot like this, when you 3b his strong UTG opening range, it most likely indicates a value hand. He's not going to bet 1/3 here with a hand like JJ or some heart draw when your 3b range is pretty strong.

One of the 'issues' that I have (and I am quite sure this is more a mental issue): isn't our hand after our flop check super face up? Don't we almost always have JJ-KK (maybe TT) there in that spot? My 3bet range is already quite tight to begin with, and I can't imagine doing a lot of checking with an A in my hand on this flop - unless it is a small suited A, but I don't think I have too many of those in this spot.

You should be checking your AK/AQ there often actually because there is little value to betting. He will call with his AJ/ATs but fold all other worse hands.