$50 NLHE MTT Turbo: Pre Flop and Flop Decision

Tournament: $50 Local Buy In with plenty of recreational players


Hand: T♣9♣ Position: HJ Stack EF: 28,000 (34bbs) Blinds: 400/800 20 min
Stacks: MP1 (30,000) BTN (44,000) BB (38,000)


Notes: MP1 has been a little aggressive raising more than usual, BTN is passive and calls a bit as does BB
Pot: 1200


Action Preflop: MP1 raises to 2000, Hero(HJ) makes it 5500, folds, MP1 calls
Pot: 12,200


FLOP: Q♥ 3♠ 7♥
Action Flop: MP1 checks, Hero?


Questions
SPR is bad for this hand but do you just call pre and hope for the best or take the game to your opponents?

So is there any merit in the preflop 3bet? If you call the BTN and BB are likely to call then you are four way? What about folding pre?

Check here or standard cbet? (As played)

Thanks

In computer games it is best to play the pattern. I like the 3bet PF, but it needs to have a plan then. if the villain know a little of the game, probably call him in 3bet, already in front of us. I only bet on the flop something bigger than 5k and thinking send 2nd barrel on the turn.

Flat pre, I would only consider 3betting here with 50bb+. The problem with 3betting too linear of a range at this stack depth is that if your opponent shoves on you, you get blown off preflop. Additionally, a hand like T9s plays well multi way and when you can play multiple streets without getting it in. When you 3B and get called, you are isolating with a hand that plays well multiway and have a low SPR. If you are going to 3bet here, I would rather 3B hands like 87s, J9s, QTs, KQo, ATo.

I 3bet larger pre as well, 6k minimum. Bet 4200 on the flop.

I'm flatting pre off this stack size. I'm just sigh folding off 22bb and less. I'll have to be really deep vs fairly bad players to 3b it.

YES, there are ALWAYS merits to 3b. the likelihood of playing HU in position with the betting lead are huge. You are uncapped and they are usually capped. But are those merits outweighed by the merits of flatting or folding? I think we're too deep with too good of a multiway hand to fold. Flatting becomes MORE desireable, IMO when the remaining players are likely to flat. you get better implied odds and get to re-assess IP. If the remaining players are very aggressive and likely to 3b squeeze often then I prefer a 3b strategy for deeper stacks and a sigh fold approach for shallower stacks (say under 65bb).


If you're going to 3b pre off this stack size then I do actually like your sizing. don't want to go too big and commit too much of our stack when we get jammed on....which is partly why I just dislike this 3b in general but a small 3b is better than a big 3b


FLOP: As played we seized the lead and we paid for that lead. a big part of that reason is to be able to Cbet bluff credibly. so we must bluff here. If we flop some equity we can have some check backs sometimes....but we flopped squadoosh. Gotta cash in on our preflop aggression the times that we both missed. otherwise we 3b preflop why? for our runner runner stunner outs? Nope. gotta Cbet. Sizing?


Our Cbet sizing should be consistent with our previous Cbet sizing. I tend to Cbet smallish so I'll usually bet about 3,500 here. I'll give up most of the time unless the turn is a great barrel card (Ad or Ac for example).

I was too late to edit my response...but upon reflection I would actually 3b jam if I had 22bb and less and I would flat off a stack of about 30+bb and CONSIDER 3b (but still sometimes flat) off a stack of 65+bb.

Between 22-30bb I think it's close, but actually a tight fold.

Those BB numbers are a little bit loosey goosey depending on table conditions and WHO is raising, but you get the idea.

T9s works much better as a flat, especially with passive players to act behind. I'd prefer a fold if the button or blinds were aggressive. 3 bet is probably my least favorite option here. It's a great post-flop hand with high equity realization, but we will have to fold to a shove. It is probably better to 3-bet/fold hands with less raw equity that still have good equity realization when called.

The flop really sucks. The villain will have plenty of hands in his range that can continue... He can call all his queens and sevens, pocket pairs, flush draws, and random floats like JTs, 98s, 65s, KJs, KTs, AJs, etc.

I like a check back on the flop and look for an opportunity to take the pot on the turn or river.

Thanks, some good thoughts there