I don't have the hand history so this won't look as pretty as if I was using flop turn river.

Scenario: at 3rd level, 25/50. Hero is MP2 with AQ The board is going to rainbow so suits don't matter. Typically play is loose/aggro or loose/passive at this level of SNG, and though it's early I haven't seen this villain out of line at all, but since I'm multitabling I missed how he chipped up.

Effective stacks ~t2000 for both


Folds to Hero who raises to t175, folds to Villain in BB who calls.


Flop 8 10 Q


Villain leads for t200, Hero calls t200

I'm not really ready to play for all my chips here, and a standard raise doesn't chase off much but a bluff, and I want to see a turn instead of getting 3-bet.


Turn J

Villain checks, Hero checks.

Same thing here. I feel I lose more when I bet big hoping to push villain off a draw, AK or AJ (and he's better than my AQ or calls and makes it anyway) than I do checking behind and making a river decision.


River 6

Villain checks. Hero?

OK, almost misread this as Villain raising PF. AJ is very possible as is KJ. I think we can probably cross off hands:AK, AQ, 99, TT, 88 and possibly any hand with a 9. The way the hand was played. This looks more like KJ or AJ. We can probably put in a nice value bet here, but if we get raised we would puke. I normally like to check the river on a board like this, but villain not betting turn or river makes me believe that we are ahead.

Also, I get what you mean when not having any reads on other players and how they chipped up. I usually try and check out the HH and see how often they were involved in a pot or how they won a hand.

If villain had us crushed with a 9, AK, a set or 2 pair, I'd expect he would bet the river after no action on the turn. If we have any fears on this river about getting slowplayed, villain likely has the same fears about us.

I'm curious for more takes on whether to bet or check behind here, as this is a dicey spot to bet. I'd be willing to value bet ~1/2 the pot though.

Well, I'm disregarding the turn check because it can mean anything.

So, we have pf, flop, and river.

I think we all agree that villain leads a 9 or AK on the river.

However, I think lots of hands that beat us check the turn and legitimately act like villain acted in this hand:

QJ, Q10, 88, 1010, AA. So Gallo, I disagree that sets and two pair aren't really in his range, I think QJ and Q10 could be as often as AJ, KJ.

I did lead for about half the pot and immediately regretted it, notwithstanding the result. What does villain call with that we beat? I can only think of KQ...does he really call with AJ? Does he laydown KK or AA to any bet I can reasonably justifying making?

I've had a very good couple months with SnG's and for the most part I've really figured out how to play them and be profitable. However, very recently I've gone through a rocky spell with very inconsistent results..and I think I need to get better in spots like this to continue to crush it over the long term.

I agree, there's alot of combos villain could have and he's probably just as afraid of the board as you are, which is probably my main reason to check river. He probably doesn't put you on a 9, but just in case he will just c/c.

I would just check, given that you only have one pair and if you are ahead, you're probably not going to get called most of the time if you make a thin value bet here.

I suppose if you shove, there are two pair hands that might fold, fearing the straight. Check seems the safe play though.

It's pretty obvious you have 1 pair, it's an easy bet for him with 2 pair or a set.

I'd v-bet here against like 98% of opponents. How does he ever have KK or AA?

FYP.

Again, I vbet about half the pot, and was snapcalled by 10-10.

AM i the only one who raises the flop bet here?

Maybe. Post back on your reasoning for a raise (I'm serious) besides "I haz AQ on a Q-high board."