Reviewing some Steal & Blind Deffence. I wasn't playing enough from CO, so decided to expand my range.

Villain's been trying to play back. He has high 3BvSteal.


PPPoker - $1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

UTG: 229.85 BB
MP: 168.36 BB
Hero (CO): 105.88 BB
BTN: 148.28 BB
SB: 62.11 BB
BB: 83.64 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 J

fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, BB raises to 9 BB, Hero calls 6 BB

Flop: (18.5 BB, 2 players) 5 J K
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (18.5 BB, 2 players) 8
BB checks, Hero bets 8.25 BB, BB calls 8.25 BB

River: (35 BB, 2 players) 4
BB checks, Hero checks

fold pre

x turn

Got it. Cheers.

I'm raising this hand folded to me, nearly all the time.
If he seems tilted, I'm likely raising 3x since this hand plays fine against his range if he's getting out of line.
If he just plays back in general, I'm likely raising 2x if his three-bet sizing is large.

I like the flop check for pot control and even though he plays back, he has good equity a portion of the time. Facing a check-raise isn't fun here.
Love the turn bet after he checks twice.

Curious, why are we not going for thin value on the river? I'm thinking he would have check-raised with most of his range at some point, and your J holds up really well on this board how it ran out. You mention he plays back a lot, but what about post flop? I guess it's a real disgusting feeling when he checks three streets and check-raises river... but I'm just not sure about his post-flop play (is he capable of that river raise?). I would have bet about 1/3 pot, but he may just not be calling with worse...

Sorry, just lots of questions I'd have.

J7s is at the very bottom of the Jxs opening range pre from CO, I think it's fine to fold it pure in high rake games.

Vs Unknown or tighter player I even fold to 3B pre from CO.

He is capable of playing back postflop too, but I haven't seen him running big bluffs. He likes to fight for blinds, probably an ego thing. He's a bad reg.

I think river my kicker won't hold as much, plus the pot would be almost as big as villain's stack. I'd like to have AJ or QJ no diamonds.

J7 is a good hand to LAG up a bit, then go back to TAG, after image is set!

pre is burning money
x/ turn with mediocre pair and use it to bluff catch rivers