PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($28.15)
Hero (MP) ($25.50)
Button ($26.15)
SB ($16.95)
BB ($41.25)

Preflop: Hero is MP with Q , A
1 fold, Hero raises to $1, 2 folds, BB calls $0.75

Flop: ($2.10) A , 2 , 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.50, BB calls $1.50

Turn: ($5.10) J (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3.75, BB raises to $8.50, Hero calls $4.75

River: ($22.10) 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Total pot: $22.10 | Rake: $1.05

Villain was a total unknown, this was like my 4th hand on the table.

Line ok?

IPITS

I assume you were planning to fold to a river bet.

I hate the jack on the turn. But I think it's better to fold or raise all-in. There's all manner of draws the villain can have, so I'd rather get it in than set myself up to pay off everything on the river (or alternatively, fold to some bluffs). As this river illustrates, we're going to have trouble getting more value out of a worse ace by flat calling.

If you bet the turn like you did, I'm uncomfortable, but I'm okay with how it was played from there.

That said, you need to check this turn a lot for pot control as you move up through the levels. (Unless you have a read telling you that you need to bet it.)

I don't understand what's wrong with value betting the turn. Aren't we still going to get value from hands like AT/A9 and flush draws?

It's a matter of not wanting to build big pots with one pair. Also, we're way ahead of AT/A9 and thus don't mind giving a free card. Those hands are usually only going to pay one more bet...so we can usually get it on the river if we "missed" it on the turn...because they'll value-bet it or try to catch our "bluff" value-bet on the river. As for the flush draws, it's not going to actually hit that often. By checking the turn, we'll often convince them to bluff at it when they miss. Also, we really don't like getting check-raised in this spot, because we're usually going to need to fold. A more wiley opponent will know that and semi-bluff us some portion of the time.

The situation where you want to bet this turn: when your opponent is a passive calling-station. In that case, they may pay off two bets with a worse hand, and they're unlikely to bet if they miss their draw.

I see, so we're pot controlling our hand against competent players because in a large pot their hand strength is going to be so much stronger relative to a calling station's?

As a default at $25NL do you think my line is fine until I pass through to $50 and $100NL, or do you think it's better to take your line as a default against unknowns at $25NL and save 3 streets of value from AQ for people who I've identified as stationy post flop?

against a total unknown i probably fold to the turn reraise. My favourite rule of thumb is that players generally show the strength of their hand on the turn. His hand is strong.

Also, please get rid of those vids in your sig, makes my browser lag something horrible.

Pot controlling is better at $25nl than just mashing bets in there. My default line with AQ here is to check flop, then try and get two streets on turn and river, often by just calling turn and river bets, once you check a flop people go crazy. But Cobalt is advocating for the bet/check/bet or call line. I like the check/bet or call/ bet or call line a little more.

V a $25NL unknown this is definitely a bet on the turn.

I'd call a c/r on the turn here I guess though i'm really not that happy about it, he made it fairly small though so it may not be that strong a move. If he bet the river I think it's a clear fold against an unknown.

I don't particularly mind that line either (checking the flop and calling/betting from there). It's not one that I've employed as frequently, but it's quite reasonable.

Also, I think it's probably fine to bet the turn as default/unknown at 25NL, but it is starting to reach that level where you consider only going for two streets of value. (Basically, reads are important.) At 50NL and above, it really probably tips over into preferring a pot control line.


Depends on how much he bets.