This hand I was CO against Button (no read, botton just joined not too long ago). Table was tight (I don't have the exact hand HH right now).

Everyone folded to me, I raised with A 2 3 5 . Button 3 bet. Blinds folded and I called.

(At the moment I thought he's got AA)

Flop (7.5 SB): K 6 8

I bet, Button raised, I 3-bet, button called.

(At that time I thought he had AA with low draw)

Turn (13.5SB/6.75BB): 2

I checked ...

Discuss, bad move or good move? Remember I have no read.

i think you are going to get two bets out of him fairly often by betting the turn and betting the river. i think you are going to screw yourself out of a bet here more often than you are going to get three.

For one thing I was pretty sure Button had AAWX.

I was hoping that Button would overplay his AA for one.

In HU game player may not necessarily have the flush to make the 3-bet play. Some aggressive players could easily 3-bet that flop with two pairs and nut flush draw and once in a while some morons will make those plays with nothing (yes at the 15/30 level). Two pairs could easily be counterfeited, baby flush may worry about the nut flush and villain could see the checking on the turn as a sign of weakness (or me bluffing the flop). Or I could be representing a nut low draw on the flop and got CC on the turn to induce a bet from villainon the turn. I was hoping that Button had AA3 and impulsively bet the turn after I checked.

That's what I thought at the moment.

Now I am not exactly sure if that's the right play.

Mathematically speaking, if I bet the turn and the river I am pretty sure I will get 2 bets from villain to the pot.

If the chance of checking and getting villain to bet the turn is greater than 50% than it's a +EV move (50%x2Bets on the turn + 1 Bet on the river).

But against an unknown player what do you guys estimate the chance of suceeding after my initial thoughts?

(Oh, since there were two 2s out there, I reduced the chance of villain holding AA2 althought it's still possible.)

Your 3 bet on the flop says "yes, I DO have the flush" so I would be very surprised if he bet the turn for you. You need to keep betting to make A3KK or whatever pay to outdraw you, especially if he has A2KK.

agreed. his flop raise could easily be trying to get to the river on just a low.

yeah, you got a little too cute here.

i like it when cham is around.

Hi,

I want to agree with the general opinion here,
Only an agressive over-stealing type of player would try betting his low only hand on turn more then 50% of the time.
Also, suppose you have more then 50% success rate on the check-raise here,
Wouldn't some of the outcomes be fold or even call-fold ?

Something else Ive been wondering about
The importance of pausing
Do you guys find it importent to take a moment before betting?
I mean online, most of the players are playing multi-tables anyhow and will play slow from time to time. I haven't made up my mind about it.

On the other hand I know for sure there are times it is important to act quickly and pull villain into responding before he has time to consider his acts.

Your thaughts...
FM

if you want to get tricky on this hand, i'd like a b/c flop, c/r turn line a LOT more, but i would still just play it straightforward 90% of the time.

i just don't think he bets this often enough for you on the turn as played. i mean, i wouldn't, unless i had aa3 or aa4 (or a similar hand with KK), and the button doesn't have to have a decent low to 3bet in this hand preflop.

The table was so tight that a 3-bet preflop assures AA.

Button did have AA3 without any diamonds and he did bet on the turn. I raised he called. River I bet and he called.

I thought I made a good play at the moment, then after I rethought about this hand I had doubts so I posted this.


Ok guys here's another one. The topic should be "how to trap a smart player?"

Same table against BB who is a winning player, quite tight and smart.

I was in EP limped in with A 2x 4x 5 Everyone folded to BB (this is a fcked up table )

The flop (2.5SB) was 3 Ax 7 .

I bet he called.

Turn (4.5 SB) was 6x.

I don't know what to do. Locked in low, made top straight with nut flush redraw.

I paused for a while and made a bet.

BB folded.

I left the table to play plo $200...

Very tight table! I have to agree with your move though. Leaving to play PL!

FearMe; There is an importance of pausing to me. First thing I do is check to see if the player is multi-tabling. Once I've established that they are/aren't, I do take into consideration the speed at which a person bets out and try to get a read on what it means. I too also instinctively, time my bets/calls. However, reacting quickly so that the villian doesn't have time to consider his actions, I do not agree with. If a person has raised preflop and comes out firing quickly on the flop, me, as the villain, will not call or fold based on that quick bet. I have time to consider my move. I will use that time.

Jack,
I think your case describes a player calling a small bet then realising he better not pay any more, especially not big bets.
There for In my opinion its someone who could only get half the pot upon pairing on the board.
Without that he wouldn't call the river. With it you lose half the pot.
So leading the turn is good in terms of protecting your pot.

Addagirl,
What would you say about being short-handed in a fast going game with a person on tilt. You want him to keep his hasty unresponsible game.
A long pause here could pull the game to a slower pace giving him time to consider his mistakes, wouldn't you say?

FM

as for this question, i think it's super important to randomize your raising range at a tight table--think of it as playing shorthanded, and don't feel bad about raising 3456, 910JQ, etc. if you're sure it's gonna get HU.

that said, you gotta raise that hand no matter what, imho. again, just raise other hands too if you ain't getting enough action. there isn't really a spot for you to get tricky postflop either since he'll assume you have the nut low as played i'm sure. the only times i like to trap good players is when a flush or obvious wrap hits and i'm OOP and can get in a c/r.

sometimes you just don't get paid. no biggie. nh postflop.

Yeah I agree with you. When the table was so super-tight I should have played more hands and entered the pot by raising, and if the table turns loose then I should tighten back up. Oh well those were my afterthoughts. Anyway luckily a super-tight situation doesn't happen frequently and there are always fish everywhere.