$5 NLHE Full Ring: Top two pair on connected board in position

$5 NL HE Full Ring: Top two pair on connected board in position

A little context: I've been playing at this table for a while, and have seen the villain play smart but aggressive poker, raising often from Late as well as Middle position. On this hand, I decide that my KJo is good enough to try and catch him in a steal with a 3bet. He smoothcalls, at which point I decide that I'll give up on the hand if I don't hit the flop hard. The flop comes KJT, which is pretty hard, giving me top two pair, and not bad odds for a draw to a boat.

Because he smoothcalled my 3bet OOP, I figure him for a strong hand at this point. I can't discount AQ, KK or JJ, but he could very well also have AK, AJ or QQ. He checks to me (which I figure is standard having been the aggressor with the last word, 3betting PreFlop), and I decide to take a stab for a little over 2/3s the pot, thinking that if he flat calls I'm giving up on the hand (suspecting a set, maybe a straight with AQ); to my surprise (and I'm working on being better at planning for every contingency when I bet) he mini3bets me for 1.40.

At this point I'm not quite sure exactly where I stand in the hand, but still think I'm in good shape with top two pair (he very well could be trying to check/raise to show strength and lock down a TPtK or even something like AJ or QQ) and even if I'm dominated by something like QQ or a set, I'm about a 30% shot at drawing a boat by the river. However, would I really be willing to continue in the hand here if I knew he had a monster like a set or a straight? I'm giving serious consideration to folding, calling and raising; what would you all recommend in this spot? Many thanks in advance, hand is below:

You have to assume he has the AQ, the flush really isn't an option for him since he called your raise preflop. Pocket 10's are a possibility but your raise preflop should've made him fold those. JJ is also an option but you have enough outs and have him covered. I'd probably shove here and hope for the best.

Shoving almost certainly shows a profit although may not be ideal, depending on how tight you perceive his OOP flatting range. Your problem lies in the fact that of the hands that don't have you in really bad shape - sets, AQ, Q9 (if that's in his range, who knows) - his equity is either really strong or he's not continuing versus a re-raise anyway. Assuming he doesn't flat 3-bets lightly OOP, that is.

Calling the flop and shoving any non-spade, non-broadway (or nine) card is probably my preferred line versus such an opponent. If, however, he could have stuff like QJ, 98s, etc. then I think shoving is best. Same goes for someone who likes to trap preflop; that severely increases the chance of him having AK, AA and QQ, and your equity goes up again. The only time I like flatting his check/minraise is versus someone who 4-bets those hands but will flat with 99-JJ and large suited connectors.

Thanks again for the replies. Indeed I figured that this is one of those gap situations where we're probably either way ahead or way behind. I decided that since I'd seen this player be quite aggressive in taking down pots without a showdown, that I'd test my luck, and shoved. He ended up turning over AQ for the straight, I missed the turn and river and lost half my stack.

For the future, I'll be sure that when I'm making potentially very risk moves in spots like these, that I have a much better lock on what type's of hands my opponents are willing to flatcall OOP, and checkraise with. As always, I'm taking it as an opportunity to learn. Thanks again, and best of luck!

T.

delfam said:

You have to assume he has the AQ, the flush really isn't an option for him since he called your raise preflop. Pocket 10's are a possibility but your raise preflop should've made him fold those. JJ is also an option but you have enough outs and have him covered. I'd probably shove here and hope for the best.

Click to expand...

Hey why should I fold pocket tens on 0.15 raise.Does raise of 0.15 means that you got AA.You can expect reraise from pocket tens not fold.When you play those limits you know that people calls 0.15 with 2-4.