Hi all,

Line check on the below hand please? I think 89s should be a flat mostly pre but is okay as a low frequency raise. What are thoughts on checking entire range on turn given V has more 99/AJ/A9/A8/88/89? Then on the river, I think my range consists of AQ (all combos), occasional AJs, ATs, JTs,KTs A9s, 89s and 88 that decide to 3b pre, AK (all combos), other Ax and some missed flush draws that don't c/r turn. I think I would x/r turn with AA/99/QTs and my strongest draws.

As I write this, I think clear fold???

PokerStars - $0.10 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 358.7 BB
SB: 296.8 BB
Hero (BB): 128.7 BB
UTG: 100 BB
MP: 206 BB
CO: 253.7 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 9 8

fold, fold, CO raises to 2 BB, fold, fold, Hero raises to 8 BB, CO calls 6 BB

Flop: (16.5 BB, 2 players) A 8 9
Hero bets 8.1 BB, CO calls 8.1 BB

Turn: (32.7 BB, 2 players) J
Hero checks, CO bets 15.6 BB, Hero calls 15.6 BB

River: (63.9 BB, 2 players) Q
Hero checks, CO bets 30.5 BB, Hero calls 30.5 BB

why are you checking turn?
and yes river is an easy fold. what hands in villains range do you see getting to the river that don't have sd value?
But checking turn looks really off as well

For the reasons set out, I think this is a far better turn for V, given assumed greater density of AJ, A9, A8, J9, 89, 99, 88. We have more AA and JJ and that’s it. Same amount of QTs presumably. Therefore, I think this is a check range spot? With x/r some sets, straights, AJ and fds.

In response to V’s hands without showdown - missed fd.

But yes still a clear fold on river imo. I have all my Ts, AQ and occasional AA JJ 99 QTs AJ that didn’t x/r to continue with.

My bad i was at work and skipped that part.
I see your point that villain has sets and Ax 2pair with a higher frequency but he also has a lot of marginal holdings like weak Ax & pair plus draws. I believe this specific hand definitely has more incentive for betting than checking as we block sets & 2 pairs while unblocking Ax

Nevermind. I just plugged this into GTO+ and it seems that we do want to range check turn. In my initial thoughts, i gave villain a lot of Axs but realized that villain is CO and not BU. Not sure if this changes stuff in reality

Yeah. Reasonable.

Yeah so I ran a couple more sims and it really comes down to how many of the suited Ax we give villain.
Also, I have to correct myself 8s9s actually doesn't block any of villains Ax two pairs so its the least incentivized to bet turn but still does with a huge frequency (if we give villain all the Axs).

So in general if villains range is tighter and doesn't have all Axs we want to be the flop a lot (preferably for a small sizing to make KQ,QT,KJ,TT,JJ indifferent to calling) and rangecheck turn.

If Villain has all the Axs we polarize our flop betting range and still bet or rather jam (100bb eff) turns a decent amount but also do a lot of checking. 89 being among the hands that mostly wants to shove turn.

I'm not convinced the turn needs to be range check. The turn does change the board slightly, giving all QT the nuts, but it only adds J9s and AJ as 2 pairs,, and JJ as sets. Arguably, villain may have slightly more of the 2 pair combos, but I'm not sure the difference relative to the flop is that big. I might be wrong though, I just think that based on that argument, you could argue for range checking the flop as the J doesn't hugely change the flop.

I feel here, as you have a strong but vulnerable hand, and you can have a decent amount of very strong hands, a bet would work quite well. Notably as pointed out by the previous poster, you block sets and unblock a lot of villain's ax hands. He would have to call the vast majority of his ax hands Ott, and still a pretty decent amount otr.

Once you get to the river, I don't think either option is too bad. You block some (not many) hands with a T, T9s maybe T8s. However, most of your better hands will have similar effects. I feel like a decent proportion of villain's FD will now have some showdown value, and that most people will struggle to find an appropriate amount of bluffs here. So, I don't think a call is too bad, although hands like J9s if in range or AQ will have more SD and blocker/unblocker value. But, given the difficulty balancing villains river range, a fold is probably slightly better.

That is really helpful, thank you!

Can't fault this. Esp your river assessment. I think you are prob right re: range check but see post above from sims which suggest it is close dependant on composition of Axs in V range..

I'm glad you reran and found the bets. 98 is vulnerable and does not block much of villain's calling range, Ax, sd's and fd's. There are more non 2p Ax than 2p Ax even ott. Add to those the draws and pr plus draws, and i think it's a clear bet.

Interesting pre. I am not 3betting that hand, but with 2x open, probably will raise to 4 or 5x.

As played (I have been in this situation before, 54s 2 pair,) do not check turn. You should bet about 25bb. That should fold out the draw. Either 3/4 pot or even pot.

Its good that people are thinking about how to play their range against tough opponents here, but villain is obviously really bad and even readless we should assume it. So bet big on flop and turn.

Agree with this assessment. Villain is play bad all the way here.