$100 NLHE Full Ring: Questions on 2 bluffs and how I can play better

[tofushit888]

Hey guys! I have some questions regarding 2 hands that I played during an online session. Welcome any inputs / thoughts. These hands are also recorded in my latest pokervlog, feel free to check them out according to the time stamps below.


Video Link:

Blinds: HKD 5/10 (USD0.65 / 1.30)


Hand 1 (1:10 – 2:45). Stack sizes of 100-120BB

I have KcQd in the HJ position. UTG raises to 30. I was thinking of 3-betting here but ended up just flat calling. CO, button and the blinds all call…


Flop comes 2h-Jh-10c. Blinds checks and UTG checks, I check and CO/button both check.


Turn comes 6d. Blinds check. Now UTG leads out with 123. His bet seemed weird to me as any over pair or AJ or sets should bet the flop given multi-way action. So I thought I can put some pressure on him and I raised to 265 (Looking back this raise size was way too small and was definitely a mistake…). Folds backs to UTG, who then calls.


River comes 8s. UTG checks and I continue my bluff with a bet of 361. He has around 700 behind, and tanks, but ends up calling with QJ of clubs.


Question 1: Assuming I raised bigger on the turn and jammed on the river, is that a good bluff line to take given the action?


Question 2: With KQ offsuit in HJ in a 100-120BB game, can I 3-bet vs UTG preflop? By flat calling, I invited 4 extra players into the hand.

Hand 2 (10:53 – 11:54). Larger stack sizes of 200-300BB

I have 6-8 of spades in the SB position. UTG limps in for 10 and +1 raises to 40. I call, BB folds and UTG calls.


Flop comes 7s-4d-9h with one spade. I thought this is a really good flop for me to check raise with as I can continue to barrel on the turn if any spades, 10s or 5s come out. So I check, and interestingly UTG donks out with 62, and +1 folds. I stuck with my original plan and check-raised to 218, which UTG snap calls…


Turn comes a 8 of heart, which is a bit of an awkward card for me as now I pick up a pair of 8. I check and UTG checks.


Turn comes a J of clubs. I check again, and UTG checks as well and shows As-9d for the winner.


Question: With the 8 of heart on the turn, should I have continued to bet big instead of checking? Looking back, checking looked like the wrong move…

That’s all my questions for now. Thanks a lot!

 

[eetenor]

Hey guys! I have some questions regarding 2 hands that I played during an online session. Welcome any inputs / thoughts. These hands are also recorded in my latest pokervlog, feel free to check them out according to the time stamps below.


Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BBcTnhuZ1w
Blinds: HKD 5/10 (USD0.65 / 1.30)


Hand 1 (1:10 – 2:45). Stack sizes of 100-120BB

I have KcQd in the HJ position. UTG raises to 30. I was thinking of 3-betting here but ended up just flat calling. CO, button and the blinds all call…


Flop comes 2h-Jh-10c. Blinds checks and UTG checks, I check and CO/button both check.


Turn comes 6d. Blinds check. Now UTG leads out with 123. His bet seemed weird to me as any over pair or AJ or sets should bet the flop given multi-way action. So I thought I can put some pressure on him and I raised to 265 (Looking back this raise size was way too small and was definitely a mistake…). Folds backs to UTG, who then calls.


River comes 8s. UTG checks and I continue my bluff with a bet of 361. He has around 700 behind, and tanks, but ends up calling with QJ of clubs.


Question 1: Assuming I raised bigger on the turn and jammed on the river, is that a good bluff line to take given the action?


Question 2: With KQ offsuit in HJ in a 100-120BB game, can I 3-bet vs UTG preflop? By flat calling, I invited 4 extra players into the hand.

Hand 2 (10:53 – 11:54). Larger stack sizes of 200-300BB

I have 6-8 of spades in the SB position. UTG limps in for 10 and +1 raises to 40. I call, BB folds and UTG calls.


Flop comes 7s-4d-9h with one spade. I thought this is a really good flop for me to check raise with as I can continue to barrel on the turn if any spades, 10s or 5s come out. So I check, and interestingly UTG donks out with 62, and +1 folds. I stuck with my original plan and check-raised to 218, which UTG snap calls…


Turn comes a 8 of heart, which is a bit of an awkward card for me as now I pick up a pair of 8. I check and UTG checks.


Turn comes a J of clubs. I check again, and UTG checks as well and shows As-9d for the winner.


Question: With the 8 of heart on the turn, should I have continued to bet big instead of checking? Looking back, checking looked like the wrong move…

That’s all my questions for now. Thanks a lot!

Thank you for posting.

Hand 1
Look at the range the V is opening QJ yes we should 3 bet by not 3 betting we do not have AA KK QQ in our range so we cannot get the V to fold a pair on turn or river with a good bluff sizing.

Also V plays straight forward weak game so if we 3 bet they 4 we fold easily.

Hand 2

Ok not the range to call in the SB versus a calling station and an aggressor.

The idea of getting weak V to fold is a very good idea. What we want to know is will they fold? If not then we do not try to bluff steal raised pots OOP we do not have to if they call too often.

If we think they will fold we have to know what our 3 street plan has to be. Versus this V they will hang onto top pair top kicker like it is the nuts. So how do we get them to think they have to fold?

flop - weak player leads and we think that we can get them to fold if a card comes but only if a card comes on the turn -that is our plan-so we make a big pot hoping for a card to come.
We could also call- some sets just call here 56 just calls here and then we can begin our bluff on the turn by leading or check raising if one of those cards came.

The sizing of your check raise is fine as our value range and draws need not bet bigger. So we include bluffs in this sizing but with bluffs we know when we make the check raise we are betting turn and river unless the runout shuts us down. After all this V has top pair 9 and bet it into a raiser so a fold is not going to be easy.

We then hit what would make a straight for our range 56 JT (we bluffed 86 why not JThds) or 2 pair 87 98 and our sets 77 44 still good 90% of the time. Our plan is the V is weak and cannot stand pressure and will fold (not so sure about this) but we make an under pair to the 9 and check?

In situations like this (weak straight forward villain) we bet- fold on the turn with the plan of shoving river if V calls turn unless the 9 pairs. If we are going to stick to our- they will fold plan (still not sure this V would).
The size of the bet on turn is based on max pressure on the river not the turn. By making the turn bet look like we want a call. This V will call turn. Then the river shove makes perfect sense as a value pot size or slightly larger than pot size shove.


Hope this helps

 

[tofushit888]

Thanks Eetenor, very thorough analysis for both hands. Super helpful!

For Hand 1, I agree its better to 3-bet preflop and fold to a 4-bet.

For Hand 2, part of the reason why I checked on the turn was because I thought the 8 could also hit his range of 98,9T, etc. His UTG limp-calling range contains some of those combos so thats why I thought the 8 on the turn was a weird card for me. But overall I think given the runout, if I applied maximum pressure on the river card, his chance of folding his A9 is probably 50/50 haha. He knows I usually play aggressive against him so he might just call me down for the sake of seeing my cards lolllll

 

[eetenor]

Thanks Eetenor, very thorough analysis for both hands. Super helpful!

For Hand 1, I agree its better to 3-bet preflop and fold to a 4-bet.

For Hand 2, part of the reason why I checked on the turn was because I thought the 8 could also hit his range of 98,9T, etc. His UTG limp-calling range contains some of those combos so thats why I thought the 8 on the turn was a weird card for me. But overall I think given the runout, if I applied maximum pressure on the river card, his chance of folding his A9 is probably 50/50 haha. He knows I usually play aggressive against him so he might just call me down for the sake of seeing my cards lolllll

Thank you for responding

Tip about cardschat if you quote reply I get a notification that you replied so if you want further responses you may wish to choose that option.

It is good that you are thinking about combos. A good exercise is to do a street by street action by action range refinement.

On this turn we hold an 8 so the 8 combo hands are reduced. If the V has a pair plus draw on turn they will call and you assumed they could that is why we do not max pressure this player on the turn with the bluff. If we made our straight and this V does not fold we big bet the turn so they feel like they have to call off river.

What we are doing with a player like this is make them have to make several decisions not just one big one. As they are seldom pressured by the one big one.

My point is we should small bet-fold that 8 100% or bet decide river.

Hope this helps

 

[tofushit888]

Thank you for responding

Tip about cardschat if you quote reply I get a notification that you replied so if you want further responses you may wish to choose that option.

It is good that you are thinking about combos. A good exercise is to do a street by street action by action range refinement.

On this turn we hold an 8 so the 8 combo hands are reduced. If the V has a pair plus draw on turn they will call and you assumed they could that is why we do not max pressure this player on the turn with the bluff. If we made our straight and this V does not fold we big bet the turn so they feel like they have to call off river.

What we are doing with a player like this is make them have to make several decisions not just one big one. As they are seldom pressured by the one big one.

My point is we should small bet-fold that 8 100% or bet decide river.

Hope this helps

Sorry for the late response! Thanks a lot for the tips Appreciate it!