So I don't play much short-handed NLHE, but I ran into a really terrible, callingstationish player. Despite the table breaking up, I decided to stick around to take his money. Okay...partially to also get my money back from him. :?

A little backstory on the SB...

I'd seen him play fairly passive poker, but he was fond of calling down. In one hand, I limped after some limpers with KJ. Flop came KQ6. I bet. He insta-called (like he had the call-any checked). Turn A. I bet. He insta-calls again. The river checks. He shows A5o to take the pot.

Later, we're short-handed, I raise J9s. He insta-calls. Flop comes 9-high. I bet. He min-raises. I stupidly push him in. He insta-calls with A9o. After reloading, I've been rebuilding by picking my spots by aggressively value-betting and getting him to call me down with awful pairs.


Bodog 2/4 NLHE (4-handed)

Button $203
SB $140
Cobalt $486

Cobalt is BB w/ 4 T . The button is fairly new to the table, but he seems to be aggressive.

Pre-flop:
1 fold, Button calls, Cobalt checks

Flop ($12): 4 T J (3 players)
SB bets $5


In a full game, I slow down...if not fold. In a short game, we cool?

I like it. SB likely has a straight draw and this should eliminate him from the hand while making it hard for the button to call at the same time. It is certainly a raise or fold spot for you on the flop because any turn is tricky.

I

I really dislike jamming the flop here. You're allowing the SB to get away from a lot of hands that he'd usually call you down with, and you're putting the button in a situation where he can only call if he's beating you. If you're going to reraise here, then just raise it to something like $75 and push the turn.

SB will call me with a jack, and the button might call me with a worse hand also. Bottom two is a little vulnerable I think to mess around with a much smaller bet. There's essentially $100 in the pot already (with my call). A raise to $75 isn't going to put much pressure.