Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (3 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FCP)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A , A .
Button calls, Hero raises, BB calls, Button calls.

Flop: (6 SB) 6 , Q , K (3 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Button folds, Hero 3-bets, BB caps, Hero calls.

Turn: (7 BB) 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls.

River: (9 BB) 6 (2 players)
Hero .....

Final Pot: 9 BB

The rest of the hand is pretty standard, I think, but the river is interesting. What's best- bet, check/call, or check/raise?

Oh, the villain just sat down, so no read, other than that it's a she (or a he with a girl icon), if that means anything. (Button is a loose, bad player.)

I'd go for a check-raise.

Yep.

Also, I think you should definitely call a three-bet. A lot of people go on auto-raise when they have two pair and most of the time don't notice that they can't beat overpairs when the board pairs.

Don't think the hand is all that standard, a turn bet is in order as this is often easily a flush draw that caps to get a free card. AA is still good on this board given the PF action very often.

I play it the same til the river. I like a bet/call more than check/raise. I think you lose less when you're behind (though you're a head a lot here) and you win approximately the same amount as you would with a c/r. For the c/r to be more profitable, he not only has to bet but has to call the c/r... IMO bet/call is the safer option.

GB

I also opted for the check/raise/call line. But I was thinking about it afterwards.

I think villain's most likely range is: KQ(9), K6(6), Q6(6), AK(6), or 66(1). But K6 and Q6 can be discounted somewhat from the preflop call (many players would see a flop, but not everyone), and the AK can be discounted a lot from the preflop just call and the flop cap. (JT, KK, and QQ seem unlikely, but any of these would have me crushed.) Overall, I think I'm ahead a little more than half the time. But I think most of the hands that have me beat will 3-bet, and I'm not sure I'm ahead often enough to risk that (since I'm not even sure that I'd be good 1/16 of the time if villain 3-bet).

I really think the check/raise is a bit too much, and that check/calling is better, although not by much.

Without a read, betting out is pointless, right? Most villains would bet again with AK or KQ, but probably wouldn't raise?



I thought about leading the turn, but this doesn't seem like a good board for villain to be going overboard with a free card play, as I'm certainly not giving him a free card with KK or QQ, and he can't be sure I would with AA or AK. If I had a draw in villain's spot, I would go for the overcall rather than raise the initial flop bet.

Plus even if villain is on a draw, he won't necessarily take the free card. Also, if he has JT, I'm now drawing dead.

MNG,

I would bet the turn as I'm scared of giving a free card to the millions of draws out there that cap this flop in position.

As played, I definetly check, since he will bluff a busted draw. Only problem is that 16 combos of one likely hand just outdrew you, while you outdrew most 2 pair type hands/overplayed 1 pair hands.

Hmm, three handed, I think I check/raise a grudgingly call a 3-bet.

I don't get the theory behind a river check/raise too much in this spot considering you felt like you were behind on the flop. The only hand that you may have rivered that was ahead of you on the flop is KQ, which I wouldn't really put him on since I expect a 3-bet from KQ pre-flop typically.

The river play is a lot more difficult with the way you played the turn. You do have several options though such as bet/call, check/raise/call, check/call. All of which are probably acceptable and can be done given your read of the situation.

Jay,

checking the river may get us an extra bet from a flush draw. Also, at this limit, the opponents aren't that aggressive pf, so KQ is in his range. As are K6 and Q6 depending on the player.

I'm check calling here. Too many hands beat us. The only one we can beat in this situation is KQ and bb's hand range vary from j10 to k6 and q6

Do you guys really think there are that many draws that would cap the flop in this spot? Note that I hold the Ac; IMO, if villain has any draw other than JcTc, Tc9c, or Jc9c, then she badly overplayed this flop.



I'm not clear on what 16 combos you're talking about; the only way I got outdrawn on the river is if villain had a naked 6, which I can't see her capping the flop with. Realistically, I think the only way the river affected the outcome of the hand is if villain had KQ or an overplayed (on the flop) K9.




At 2/4 I think only huge LAGs 3-bet KQ in that spot. (It's been a few months since I played 5/10, but I think I could say the same for 5/10.)

It's 3 handed and villian has position. You haven't shown that much strength pf. I don't think capping a hand like JTo once you 3-bet is wrong in the hopes of getting that free card. Same applies for most other flush draws.

Now, it doesn't matter if you think that she could have badly overplayed the flop with some other draw, what matters is what she thinks. In my experience, a lot of players will go apeshit on this board 3 handed with a hand like ATo. Correct, no. But they still do it. You have a very strong hand on a draw heavy board in a short game, I'm not too concerned even if I do bet out and get raised on the turn.



I meant that JT outdrew you on the turn. Also, you cannot completely discount Q6 or K6 from her range.

Well KQ makes up 9 combos (even more since it's probably her most likely hand), and K9 isn't too far fetched given the short nature of the game. The onlyl hand you are really concerned about here is JTo, K6, Q6, or 66. I think you will see some other overplayed Kx hand, or a busted club draw enough (maybe it picked up a pair?), to go for the check raise.

You're right that many players would cap many draws on the flop, but I don't think the majority would, particularly at 2/4.

On the turn, if villain is (still) on a draw, she usually will have 9 outs to beat me (more if she has the 9cxc), 4 if she has a gutshot. If villain has 2-pair, I have 8 outs to win, and if villain has a set or straight, I'm drawing dead. As such, getting raised by a better hand costs me more than giving a free card to a draw does. So I don't think I should bet the turn because 1) I think an average player is far more likely to have a made hand here than a draw at this limit, so I'm more likely behind than ahead, 2) If villain has 2-pair or better, she'll probably raise again on the turn if I lead (although possibly not), 3) If villain is on a draw, she won't necessarily take a free card, but it's very doubtful that she'd raise if I bet, and 4) If villain has a hand like AK or KT, she'll presumably bet if I check, but I doubt she'd raise if I bet.

I do think the river is close between check/call and check/raise, but I'm still leaning toward the former (at least against an unknown at this limit). I suspect that against an unknown that bets the river intending to call or 3-bet against a raise, I'm probably slightly more than half the time, but I don't think I'm good the 60-65% of the time I'd want to be to check/raise.

so.....

results??

Sure - I checked, planning to check/raise, but villain checked behind. She had KQ. I'm very surprised she didn't bet the river; I still can't decide if her check was smart or weak-tight (but correct here).

If she has me on specifically AA or AK, and she thinks I'll check/raise with AA, then her check is better than bet/call (I can have AA 6 ways and AK 8 ways).