blonde poker forum

Got myself in an awkward spot yesterday would like some feedback on this hand...

Blinds are 800/1600/200, around 100/380 remain, at start of hand I've got 65k and villain has me well covered playing about 165k.

History: I've been at the table for about an hour, in that time villain has doubled his stack and you've seen him defend his BB with 5-2o against a late pos open from a 20bb stack, flop two pair and c/r all-in, you've also seen him limp QQ from utg+1 and get it in vs a 12bb A-Jo shove. I've opeend three pots since i've been there, winning one hand pre, folding to a 3-bet pre and played one hand against villain which went to showdown. In that hand he opeend to 4k from the HJ at at 600/1200/100, I flatted on the button (50k stack) with A-9dd. Board ran out A-K-x-x-J and I called his flop bet, turn and river went check, check and I showed A-9 and he mucked. Villain is early 30s, American of Indian origiin, dressed smartly and takes a long time to make any decision.

The Hand:
Pre: Folds to villain in cut-off who raises to 6,000. I'm in the small blind with  Ahrt Tc and decide to 3-bet to 16k with the intention to fold to a shove. Villain tanks, as usual, and flats. What do you thnk of my line here, should i flat or fold? Is my 3-bet size right?

Flop: (pot 36kish) Fliop comes 9-3-9 rainbow, with a stack of 49k (ish) how do you proceed?

i bet like 14k

Fold pre dude, SB not a good position for 3-betting AT off. Especially with your stack. I might be inclined to shove here with say AQ off.

If you had a bigger stack, 3-bet size is too small for me, 19-20k would be better.

You've got yourself in a really tough spot with an awkward size stack - because, as played, you simply have to bet this flop, which basically commits you to the hand.

Fold pre

i dont think it commits him to the hand. i think can bet the flop 14k and leave 25 odd bb left. obv its not ideal but is villian likely to be jamming flop with less than AT

Yeah I guess, this bet is probably the best option available, but it looks kinda weak, any worry of getting bluff jammed on?

not a big worry, we have 3bet pre oop and cbet the flop.

So what? 13.5k? 14.25 k?

Villain is giving action with a wide range of hands and has doubled his stack gambling in this way so will be feeling pretty confident. This guy calls raises with 5-2o and has a big enough stack to indulge his willingness to play. That said what is the purpose of the 3-bet? You will fold to a jam pre and your FE in making it another 10k looks pretty small imo. 3-betting is putting yourself in a tough spot for a bigger pot imo. Why not just flat? I know you're oop but it looks like villain gives up after one bet if he doesn't have it like in the A-9 hand, so position isn't a monster factor vs him as he wont use it effectively. As played c-bet a decent flop vs a wide range like the other guys have said.

Yeah I personaly dont think 3betting pre is that good in this spot with ~40bb, calling and playing a small pot seems the better option, as played you have to bet/fold now I think

14k judge, jam turn?

fold and call pre are fine alternatives too i think. Actually maybe call given we keep in more dominated hands and we have seen his propensity for barreling so can be super happy when we flop top pair.

Yeah I would fold this sometimes but reckon villain's range is too wide and his play too predictable to want to fold here.

Yeh seems like you 3-bet because you're ahead of his range but without thinking about how the hand will play out.

Folding pre would be nitty IMO and 3-betting puts us in a very difficult spot where any decent-sized bet commits us IMO. I don't like the idea of betting the flop then folding to a shove because a lot of the time this will be a mistake at the price you will be getting. Similarly you can't really check/raise the flop because he will feel committed with all the hands that beat you.

As played its not a good board for open shoving because he can find a call with his middling pairs, and will fold worse aces.

As played if I 3-bet here I would be looking for a K-x-x or Q-x-x board to shove if the flop didn't hit me.

The board coming 9-3-9 is good for giving up on and hoping that the strength you've shown pre will get you a couple of free cards and perhaps a free showdown. Its difficult for him to bluff you after you've 3-bet. I would check/fold flop and check/fold turn if it bricked.

I think you have to flat pre-flop and play the hand carefully from there. You have much more flexibility that way.

why did you change the title to nothing?

I would never fold pre here unless it was Tiaky with the big stack.

I would usually call, but sometimes reraise.

Good flop for us I think, bet 2/3 pot.

If villain is supper aggro, I've been known to call a jam in spots like this (both pre and post flop)

and are you happy with leaving the title the same or would you change it a bit or delete it all together?

Camel can you expand a bit - why do you think this is good flop?

What is wrong with the title?

Because he is very unlikely to have hit it and we are way way way ahead of his range.

poonjoe removed the title in his reply.  A titleless post in PHA board caught Bolts eye like a shiny thing.  He was very disappointed to find a hand analysis post and not something shiny.  So felt the need to comment.

its paired, dry and we would continue with close to 100% of our value range so can widen our bluff/ protection range.

edit: also, we can expect villain to play straightforward against us on these boards, given that raising will polarise his range and he should know that.

if i bet 14k i call a shove.

yeah this