$5 NLHE Full Ring: How would you play a combo draw?

T

Tricky123bet

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pokerstars - $0.05 NL - Holdem - 8 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4: http://www.pokertracker.com

UTG+1: 104.6 BB (VPIP: 16.31, PFR: 12.77, 3Bet Preflop: 7.50, hands: 143)
MP: 270 BB (VPIP: 15.67, PFR: 12.90, 3Bet Preflop: 5.36, Hands: 441)
MP+1: 260.4 BB (VPIP: 6.80, PFR: 6.60, 3Bet Preflop: 3.82, Hands: 494)
CO: 93 BB (VPIP: 30.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 11)
BTN: 103.6 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 50.00, Hands: 10)
SB: 107.6 BB (VPIP: 16.89, PFR: 11.26, 3Bet Preflop: 5.83, Hands: 304)
Hero (BB): 116.2 BB
UTG: 48.6 BB (VPIP: 49.07, PFR: 3.13, 3Bet Preflop: 4.76, Hands: 164)

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has 8s Ts
fold, fold, fold, MP+1 raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls 2 BB

Pre Flop Analysis: So I decide to defend in the Big Blind with T8s. Had this nitty player opened from EP I would have folded, but since it is from MP I expect his range to be a little bit wider. Imo 3betting is out of the question, since I can find much better spots against semiloose-aggressive opponents that fold 80%+ to 3bets. In general I want to keep my 3betting range fairly nutted against this type of opponent, so I just call. I definitely wouldn't mind just folding either.

Flop : (6.4 BB, 2 players) 9s Jc 5s
Hero checks, MP+1 checks

Flopping an OESFD sure feels good :) But how do you play combo draws for maximum profit? Considering he's a nit, I assume it should be played aggressively, but which line is the best to take? What I attempted here was a check-raise, but he foils that plan by checking back.

Turn : (6.4 BB, 2 players) Ah
Hero bets 4 BB, MP+1 raises to 13.4 BB, Hero calls 9.4 BB

I think he would almost always bet overpairs and sets on the flop, since it's a semi-wet flop. So he could have 66-88 and TT, but I block a lot of those combos. So I would guess his range contains a lot of AK, AQ, maybe AJ sometimes, AT, and KQ. So I think he hits the ace on the turn a lot, which makes me think leading on the turn is not a very good play. I can call his raise though, I'm slightly getting the right odds for it. Check-calling I'm often not going to get the right odds for, so check-raising is maybe the best line then?

River : (33.2 BB, 2 players) Ad
Hero checks, MP+1 bets 21.2 BB, fold

Given the turn action, and missing on the river, I just give up.

MP+1 wins 31.8 BB

What is the best way to play combo draws, giving you the most fold equity, while also maximizing the profits when you hit your combo draw?

In this hand I become so handicapped because of his checkback. Thinking about it now I would have gone for a lead on the flop, and then either double barrel or check-raise the turn, depending on what card comes. Then I'm probably not bluffing the river very often, if the hand happens to go that far.
 
Andrew Popov

Andrew Popov

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The flop was played correctly. You do not have a position and should not be aggressive. The turn is not played correctly. You still do not have a position, but there is no card you put in. It was logical to check-call. Do not inflate the bank without having a ready hand against the thread. This would reduce your losses by turning on the river. In the rest - it's just an unsuccessful distribution. A non-closed OESFD on the flop always means a loss of money on the river.


Sorry, I'm not very good at poker terms in English. :)
 
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braveslice

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+1 What Andrew said.

imo usually the hand plays itself when drawing. Don't fold that's about it, and if you feel aggression helps (taking it down, buying free river, bluffing river) go for it. That said against TPTK this flop you are 51% favorite, but still complicated OOP since on the turn you are 31% anymore.

I'm a bit confused though what hand villain is raising you on the turn. AJ? If he is raising AK, you should be able to bluff him away from his hands (thinking aloud).
 
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Tricky123bet

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+1 What Andrew said.

imo usually the hand plays itself when drawing. Don't fold that's about it, and if you feel aggression helps (taking it down, buying free river, bluffing river) go for it. That said against TPTK this flop you are 51% favorite, but still complicated OOP since on the turn you are 31% anymore.

I'm a bit confused though what hand villain is raising you on the turn. AJ? If he is raising AK, you should be able to bluff him away from his hands (thinking aloud).

I don't know if I could bluff him off AK, most opponents at the micros probably get sticky with TPTK, unless the board is 4 to a flush or a straight or something. But I also wanna know what you think the best line to take is in this particular hand I played?
 
Pauliefromgoodfellas

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The flop was played correctly. You do not have a position and should not be aggressive. The turn is not played correctly. You still do not have a position, but there is no card you put in. It was logical to check-call. Do not inflate the bank without having a ready hand against the thread. This would reduce your losses by turning on the river. In the rest - it's just an unsuccessful distribution. A non-closed OESFD on the flop always means a loss of money on the river.


Sorry, I'm not very good at poker terms in English. :)
+1 keep the pot size in control when you're oop and dont worry about losing money when draws dont hit, you will. The whole goal in chasing oesd and oesfd is that when they hit they will tend to allow you to extract tons of value from 2nd best hands like sets and 2 pair
 
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braveslice

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I would have played probably x/R(because he probably folds AQ and AK and we don’t mind getting it in)-x/c-x/F so very passively, but I’m not yet in draws in my studies like the other fellas here, so I wouldn’t listen myself too much, especially because it’s so long since I have played full ring.

A is worst card probably to lead turn against tight ranges imo, then again usually he should not raise so leading usually is not a big mistake. If you can make him fold AK, then river raise if he bets with reasonable river card. Given stats he looks nitty enough to fold, but notes would be cool to have. Shoving turn is tempting, but after he raises I don’t think he plans to fold anything in heat.

Btw if flush completes and he still bets, I would think long if I want to play for stack, first of he won’t call stacks light, and hand like AsKs would explain his action. Would he really check AJ,AA on that board, or any set given how dangerous it is.
 
Figaroo2

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Just fold pre. Keep poker simple.
You are crushed equity wise and oop and won't usually flop enough equity to continue anyway and even here where you flop well its still tricky because his range is so strong. His weakness is he plays too tight just fold when he's showing interest.
 
John A

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The guy is 6/6... why are you cold calling this from the blind?

I mean flop CR or c/c is fine. Turn, if the guy is checking the flop, then he probably has Ax. You just c/c...
 
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