Villain has gotten out of line often. (having most trouble with these types of players)

2/4

folded to Me with Ajs in MP3.
I raise, BB calls.

Flop ($9)
2 j 6
BB bets, I raise, BB calls.

Turn: (13)
2

BB checks, I bet, BB raises, I 3 bet????

3 betting is good, IMO. If he's a donk who has gotten out of line like this before, then the 2 is a good scare card for him to bluff at, in HIS opinion. I make it 3 bets and call down if capped.

- Zach

Is this heads up, short handed, full ring?

If it's 3 handed or less, I'm just going to WA/WB it and call down. Donks generally call with any pair and it's very reasonable that they could have a deuce.

If this is full ring I think this is worth 3 betting. The level of donkdom necessary to call bets/raises with low pair makes this scenario very unlikely.

If this is heads up (as in 2 handed, not as in heads up just for this hand) I will say that if I'm raised and I hold A-weak, I call... and I'm going to raise/call a 3 bet if my kicker hits and the rest of the cards aren't scary.

Example:

I hold: A2
Villain raises, I call

Flop is 2 6 8:

I'm going to generally raise here on the flop.

If he calls my raise I know he's got overs, if he 3-bets I have to go on reads.

Definite three bet in my opinion. Deuces or not, I'm going to believe that I have the best hand and play it like I do. For all we know, the donk could be on a flush draw and in that case getting the maximum amount of BBs in the pot is the right course of action. If he's got a deuce, then he's got a deuce, but I would feel I have the best hand in that situation.

probably much better than what I did. I 3 bet, he capped,

turn: he lead, i called.
River: he lead, I raised because I lost temporary control of my hand.. .and so on.

yep a 3bet

Totally disagree.

We buy it if he caps but we don't trust the check-raise?

There is nothing to be gained by three-betting here. We're not folding him, and given what you say about him, we're probably not taking the lead either. Value betting with top pair against someone representing trips or better?

Bad players get good hands too.

Rasty,

it's a matter of degree of maniac.
Certainly you've sat with players that warrant a 3-bet here?

The reason I 3-bet here and then just call down is because basically I want to get a few extra bets in ON AVERAGE when I'm ahead. I feel a lot more comfortable putting in the best against this guy than a mouse.

It's 7 am and I haven't slept yet. Hopefully someone understands my point.

- Zach

I really like this quote.

Not saying I agree with it in this case, but in general.

That is all.

We need to get a language filter that blurs out "wa/wb".

If there's a flush draw on board, it's not "wa/wb".
If there are 2 overcards drawing live against you, it's not "wa/wb".
If a worse hand is calling your raise, it's not "wa/wb".

If he has a flush draw, he's obligated to call the 3bet.
If he has a weaker jack, he calls the 3bet and the river unimproved.

If you had a J with no kicker, it's a bit different. Against aggressive opponents, so many of his hands are going to be weaker jacks than the one you have that you cant afford to miss out on a bet in this situation.

Yah callling down here is probably standard but you'll learn as the limits increase to adjust the norm play to the player you are against to maximize value.

He is check/raising a lot of hands here and is seeing showdown a lot of the time after we three bet.

Saying things that make it almost seem like I know what I'm talking about is sort of my thing.

Actuary even buys it sometimes, but he's impressionable.


Two things:

1. "has gotten out of line often" does not equal crazy spoonhead maniac.

2. even if we do make that deduction, most maniacs I know of at 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, etc. are not particularly familiar with the check button and most certainly are leading out with the aforementioned worse jacks.

Bad players lead that turn without a deuce.

That's oversimplifying, read-dependant, very close, blah blah blah, but there are actually very few players I would three-bet here at 2/4.

So basically "it's a matter of degree of maniac" a la Actuary & Wing.