Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

UTG+2: $28.65
MP1: $8.30
MP2: $24.65
CO: $36.10
BTN: $40.40
SB: $5.35
BB: $29.10
Hero (UTG): $24.85
UTG+1: $24.25

Pre Flop: Hero is UTG with Q Q
Hero raises to $1, 1 fold, UTG+2 raises to $1.75, 4 folds, SB raises to $5.35 all in, 1 fold, Hero ?

You're new to the table and you have gathered no info on either player.

What's your play here?
[ ] Easy fold
[ ] Smooth-call
[ ] Raise to isolate

[X] Tough Fold (Its never easy to fold QQ preflop)
[ ] Smooth-Call (If SB only had say $3 here than i could justify a smooth call*)
[ ] Raise to isolate (there is a good change youre already beat by UTG2)

* If SB had had a smaller stack you would be playing for a smaller pot and you wouldnt have to feel committed on a non A or K flop.

Reads mean everything in this spot. You have none. I'd fold.

I give an unknown respect for a big hand when he 3Bets my UTG raise. Even if it is a MR.

Fold - This is the option I go for.

Call - I don't like a call here as UTG2 still has the option to reraise.

Raise to isolate - Really don't like this option. I'm giving UTG2 range as AA/KK/AK.


Then take a note of what UTG+2 is 3Bet min-raising with, as you will get to see his hand.

[X] Easy fold

The concensus is to fold, which I completely feel is accurate.

Let's change the scenario a little. What if the UTG+2 player smooth-calls your UTG pfr, what now?

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

UTG+2: $28.65
MP1: $8.30
MP2: $24.65
CO: $36.10
BTN: $40.40
SB: $5.35
BB: $29.10
Hero (UTG): $24.85
UTG+1: $24.25

Pre Flop: Hero is UTG with Q Q
Hero raises to $1, 1 fold, UTG+2 calls $1.00, 4 folds, SB raises to $5.35 all in, 1 fold, Hero ?

You're new to the table and you have gathered no info on either player.

What's your play here?
[ ] Easy fold
[ ] Smooth-call
[ ] Raise to isolate

With no reads, I fold here and prepare to take notes on both Villains. This is especially true if the short stack bought in short.

This is tricky.

I would go on the assumption we have the best hand here (vs UTG2).

UTG2 range PP <JJ Axs A10-AQ KQ - That is the range I'm putting a random on.

Folding no longer an option.

Flat call and look to stack UTG2 if he calls on any non Ace board (barring the obvious 3 to flush or 3 to straight boards).

Raise to isolate - MR or shove? I'm thinking he might react the same, maybe play a few more hands to a shove (some players will view this as weakness).


After all that I'm still undecided, swaying more to the Flat call. Don't think I'm going to put myself into having a tough decision on the flop.

When I first looked at it, my first thought was to raise to isolate.

Looking to see other thoughts on this.

This time I think you need to raise to isolate, but how much is the question... Maybe just a simple min raise at this point, that would deny odds to lower pairs to try to set up, plus a call wouldn't be the end of the world since on an overpair flop you can commit. If he pushes over you, then that's a toughie.

Or you could simply just push yourself, but that makes it harder for the villian to make a mistake.

[X] Easy minraise

Let's look at our raising options as I really feel that smooth-calling here is the worst play that you can make.

[ ] min raise to ~$9
[ ] raise to $12 (1/2 stack)
[ ] raise AI.

When you give your answer, give your reactions to a RRAI by the UTG+2 player and what you would do on some different textured flops vs a smooth-call.

Keep in mind, your levels of committment preflop and your SPR in these situations.

Would like to see your thoughts on why flat calling is the worst play here.

I would have thought folding is.



If we are going with raise as the best option then I would go with allin.

[X] min raise to ~$9
Call RRAI because AA/KK makes no sense without reads.

If called, I'd shove almost any flop.

I'm for min raising also. We deny UTG+2 set odds but we can still get away if he pushes preflop.

What does SPR mean you guys?

Because it sucks to put 20% of your stack in here OOP and you may still have to fold to a rrrRAI which is horrific. You need to make a commitment decision by raising or folding and folding is just too weak for pocket Qs.

If you flat call, you let hands like KQ+ and AJ+ call for cheap and with the pot odds already offered most people will call w/ pairs trying to set mine you and they probably aren't too wrong for the attempt since they're getting >3 to 1 immediate odds plus implied odds.

Stack to Pot Ratio

Take the ending pf pot and divide that into your stack.

... and then there was light! Thanks L!

Check Threads13's video thread, he gives a much better explaination than I just did.

And after that you have to read Professional No-Limit Hold 'Em Volume 1... it gives a much better explanation than I did...

I thought PNLE was required reading for this course

I think it's new enough that it hasn't reached that point yet, although I certainly think that it is required reading. Still, a lot of people don't know much about SPR yet.

***ATTENTION...ATTENTION...THREAD DERAILED!!!!***

Yep, but I was trying to help....

As you were!

yeah, a PNL thread needs to be started, picked it up yesterday read through pot control and now i have such a better concept of commitment SPR etc... back to the hand though!

I like the idea of a min raise, =)

I shove over shortie.