$1/2 limit he, absolute poker, six-handed

pre-flop: akishore is EP with Q 10 . MP posts to play.
akishore limps, MP (poster) raises.

flop: Q 9 6 (7 SB, 3 players)
SB checks, akishore bets.

turn: 5 (6 BB, 3 players)
SB checks, akishore checks, MP bets, MP calls, SB calls.

river: Q (12 BB, 3 players)
SB bets, MP folds.

(ignore the pre-flop limp. it was a misclick.)

i'm thinking a better line would be to check-call the flop and lead the turn after SB checks, in hopes that MP raises. this way the SB has to call two cold on the expensive street rather than on the cheap one. it protects my hand more and if i can make him fold a better hand, that would be amazing.

i feel that i'm calling a flop raise and checkraising the turn against a pre-flop raiser with JUST top pair too much. i think i should be saving this line for stronger hands like two pair and better. should i be three-betting more with top pair? i get the same information, and it's cheaper. i also have more fold equity by leading the turn than i do by check-raising the flop, i think.

i've noticed that most people tend to not fold on the same street that they bet... if they bet the turn and get check/raised, they will usually still call to save face, even with ace-high, and check/fold the river.

by three-betting the flop, they will still call that last bet, but i have much more equity when i bet the turn. alternately, i could check-raise the flop and lead the turn.

so, which of these lines is best:

1. bet/call the flop and check/raise the turn, like i did.
2. bet/three-bet the flop and lead the turn if he doesn't cap.
3. checkraise the flop and lead the turn if he doesn't three-bet.
4. check/call the flop and lead the turn in hopes that he raises.

i'm out of position. i feel like this should be standard, but that it's a leak in my game.

how does the play change if the raiser is on my right rather than my left (while still being in position)?

aseem

Ugh, I suck at playing offsuit broadways well, lately I just want to fold them all since several of them I win less then 10% of the time.

Anyway, I like your reasoning and the line you selected. Three betting the flop does nothing.

Why not raise the river? There are a lot of hands you beat here.

reread SSHE's river play section, on when you want overcalls.

reread page 215 and look at footnote #99 on the next page.

aseem

Hmm...either way you win one bet more . SB is almost certainly going to call your raise, or the other guy will overcall.

Aren't overcalls pointless with just one player left to act?

I like the bet on the flop. I d call the raise and bet out on the turn. I also think you could raise this river.

guys, i promise the river is a correct time to go for an overcall.

when a passive player wakes up and bets that river card, i'm probably beat. if i raise, i'm losing an extra bet against a stronger queen and two bets against a boat.

i have a strong hand, and i'm not making any stronger hand fold. i'm also not getting any value from the guy behind me by raising since no weaker hand is calling most of the time.

and no, overcalling doesn't go out the window when there's only one player to act behind you.

river play is very counter-intuitive. please, reread that section of SSHE. it's a big leak in most people's play.

aseem

I understand the logic behind just calling the river. In fact i think id call this during play but then i always feel so weak afterwards.

WAY generalized (you really need to read SSHE's whole river play section on overcalls), but river play is very counter-intuitive in multiway pots.

with strong hands, you generally want to be calling bets with people to act behind you.

with weak hands, you generally want to be folding/raising with people to act behind you.

aseem

Also do you have page numbers for this section. I cant find anything that talks about going for overcalls with one person behind you.

pg. 206

pg. 211

example straight out of book:

you have A 6 in MP. two players limp from EP, you limp, the button limps, SB raises, BB (aggressive player) calls, everyone calls.

(12 SB) J 6 4

SB bets, BB calls, two limpers fold, you raise, button calls two cold, SB calls, BB calls.

(10 BB) 8

SB checks, BB checks, you bet, button calls, BB calls.

(13 BB) J

BB bets. you should raise.

footnote: if you instead held A J , you should call.

i'll let ed miller elaborate.

aseem

Thank you for posting that hand and the page numbers. Its really getting me thinking about it and your hand. Although your hand is a little diffrent than the AJ in the book its very simmilar.

bump?

aseem