$5 NLHE 6-max: BvB facing a raise on flop

AF = 5, fold to Cbet flop - 75(3/4), fold to steal - 71, raise cbet flop (0/4)

The AF was out of line & that's the reason I considered this hand.
A Jack would raise here charging draws. Could be a gut shot as well as something like A7,87.
Call & evaluate or exploitative fold???

partypoker - $0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4: http://www.pokertracker.com

BTN: 75.4 BB (VPIP: 28.09, PFR: 15.38, 3Bet Preflop: 6.14, hands: 306)
Hero (SB): 107.8 BB
BB: 100 BB (VPIP: 20.86, PFR: 16.04, 3Bet Preflop: 7.06, Hands: 195)
UTG: 114.2 BB (VPIP: 26.01, PFR: 20.23, 3Bet Preflop: 11.27, Hands: 177)
MP: 100 BB (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 1)
CO: 100.2 BB (VPIP: 29.17, PFR: 29.17, 3Bet Preflop: 33.33, Hands: 24)

Hero posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has 7d 9d
fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, BB calls 2 BB

Flop : (6 BB, 2 players) Js Jh 7s
Hero bets 4 BB, BB raises to 13 BB,

Fold pre. The BB is going to call super wide since he has position.

Fold flop, too many combo draws and Jx to think about rebluffing.

c9h13no3 said:

Fold pre.

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I am advised to steal heavily from SB


https://www.upswingpoker.com/use-these-4-rules-to-play-your-small-blind-smart/

Alucard said:

I am advised to steal heavily from SB


https://www.upswingpoker.com/use-these-4-rules-to-play-your-small-blind-smart/

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You should be at looking to make exploitable steals. The GTO approach from the SB is to limp 100% of your range,but since you're going to be facing a lot of opponents who don't defend their BB optimally you should look to exploit. Against good opponents in the BB I would tighten up though. I think raising 97s is close. If the BB is a reg and is defending at a decent frequency you'll still win the pot preflop a fair amount of time and 79s has good play ability enabling you to run some semi-bluffs and x/c more efficiently.




As for the hand I do not think villain is raising a 7. So his value range is narrow but you're going to be oop for the rest of the hand and you block some draws with your 9 I think you can just lay this one down otf. It's a bumpy road to showdown.

In my opinion he didn't believe you that you have a jack and was trying to bluff you with this raise.

I believe that your SB open is standard, and everyone has "heard" that they should be defending their BB more aggressively. You get a very good flop and you keep the lead which I think is all the best play.

What I think you have to decide in these situations, (I am speaking from micro to low stakes), I do not think it is relevant to be throwing out the GTO buzzword unless you are a higher stakes player. After all, we are all playing exploitative at these levels. Do you want to play a lower variance strategy or are you OK with gambling in this spot?? Unless you have a real history with Villain, (the stats you posted are not enough, to really predict what he is doing here).


I am trying to fold spots like this, because for a long time I would "not believe" and end up "ahead" or "buried". I am trying to develop a more solid less swingy strategy so I say just fold and move on??

Alucard said:

I am advised to steal heavily from SB


https://www.upswingpoker.com/use-these-4-rules-to-play-your-small-blind-smart/

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Look at what % various regs that have high sample sizes defend their BB from a SB steal. I bet it's pretty high, >38% that you need to be instantly profitable with a 2.5 bb raise(risk 2.5 to win 1.5).

Clear fold preflop against that sort of player. You can play against other weaker looking players with thus hand but here,unless you have a very decent holding just fold. Avoid getting into hands oop against aggressive players like this, they will punish you there are much better and softer spots than this.

No idea what he has, but I don't think we can defend vs raise. So I would just see if my cards are playable on later streets, in my hands they are not, maybe in yours they are, so personally folding this without too much thinking. However calling is not mistake in a sense that he can't really barrel with air, imo. Re-raising is option but that feels a bit far fetched.