PokerStars Zoom No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) - Poker Hand Converter from http://pokerconverter.com/

saw flop

Button ($51.30)
SB ($20.06)
BB ($290.80)
UTG ($21.50)
Hero (UTG+1) ($50)
MP1 ($61.60)
MP2 ($50)
MP3 ($50.25)
CO ($29.25)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A, K
1 fold, Hero bets $1.50, MP1 calls $1.50, 6 folds

Flop: ($3.75) K, 4, 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $2.58, MP1 raises to $7, Hero calls $4.42

Turn: ($17.75) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $12, Hero calls $12

River: ($41.75) 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $30 hero??

villain= had very ltd meaningless sample on him, maybe 2-3 hands at the time, he had stars hidden + tables hidden + his stack to start the hand was 122bb so i basically had like no clue what kind of player he is.



do we just throw the chips in here??

i just b/f flop vs unknown.

as played i don´t see any other option than c/c otr

He could have a busted draw, he could be tempted to slowplay a set on the flop, for him to flat 56s in MP1 seems unlikely to me especially at zoom. The river leaves only 4 combos of sets/quads. Add to all this some spazz factor and I think you have to call getting 30% pot odds.

B/f flop until you have more reads. This is an even worse spot than an Axx flop facing a raise.

Why is this spot worse than Axx flop?

Wouldn't you agree it is better we call flop, and XF turn? Many players at 50NL FR bluffraise flop and then give up on their bluff on the turn.

Because Ax hands are more a part of his preflop range, and more likely to raise the flop. Kx hands have a lot less combos preflop and they generally don't raise as often on Kxx flops as Ax does on Axx flops ime.

So on an Axx flop, he can potentially be value raising worse hands (such as AQ/AJ etc. for protection / value) and hence we can be ahead of more of his range on an Axx flop than we are when he raises on a Kxx board. In addition, if he ever slowplays AA pre, then he will raise a Kxxss flop, where-as he likely slowplays his top set more on an Axx flop.

In a nutshell I'm saying that he's more polarised on a Kxx board than he his on an Axx board, and I'd rather he be less polarised if I'm ever going to call down. There are some arguments I suppose over blockers etc. but in general I just feel that on a Kxx board his range will be bluffs/sets and on an Axx board he can have bluffs/sets/worse-aces more often.

At 50, even though people are polarised in spots like this, they are still generally heavily unbalanced towards value hands rather than bluff hands ime.

That's my take on it anyways.

I suppose this hand is a good example of why folding the flop is good.

I just mean that villain is now making us guess at his hand.

I suppose if you think he takes this line with sets and flushdraws then calling is preferable.