$2 NLHE 6-max: Do we bet this flop for protection or check behind?

[Casey55]

unknown villain

pokerstars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Hand delivered by Upswing Poker

UTG: $1.63 (82 bb)
MP: $2.04 (102 bb)
CO: $1.37 (69 bb)
BU (Hero): $6.03 (302 bb)
SB: $3.12 (156 bb)
BB: $2.08 (104 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with 9♦ 9♥
2 players fold, CO raises to $0.04, Hero 3-bets to $0.14, 2 players fold, CO calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.31) T♦ A♣ A♦ (2 players)
CO checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($0.31) K♦ (2 players)
CO bets $0.15, BU (Hero) folds
I think we can have the best hand but we don't want to get check-raised off of it either, not sure what to do here

 

[Hermus]

Probably a spot where you can c-bet your entire range for a small sizing (because your range is uncapped, fairly tight, containing a million value combo's, and the flop is dry enough). If you get re-raised 99 is a bluff catcher so in this player pool you can make an exploitative fold.

As played, given you're the 3-bet aggressor that just checked a flop that's supposed to smash that range, villain is probably betting a huge amount hoping that you fold all your pocket pairs lower than an ace and some junk. 99 might actually be a call because of that, but that is all villain dependent.

 

[2nji]

I feel you should have Cbet flop, since you 3bet preflop you have range advantage, as things are now a call would be dependant on what you know about the villain, for me though it is a fold.

 

[fundiver199]

Preflop
3-betting is fine.

Flop
We are not getting any hands with equity to fold by betting this flop and we are also not ahead when called. So I am totally ok checking this back. Basically trying to get to a cheap showdown or occationally bink a boat on the turn.

Turn
Maybe we could call to catch a bluff on a low blank like 4h or 3s. But on this particular card all the broadway combos got there, if they were not there already on the flop. So now we only beat smaller pocket pairs and small suited connectors. We did pick up a flushdraw, but if we make it, we have no idea, if its good. So I like giving up now. Yes once in a while we might get bluffed, but its more likely, we get taken to value town, if we call, and we have plenty of better hands, we can defend with instead.

 

[zuker]

If you think you have best hand you should bet flop. As played fold turn preferable, sometimes you can raise, but thats not exactly.

 

[youri]

Condsidering your stack size and you are OOP, I think the line you took here isn't bad but, not the most optimal. ( Its a general rule that when deep stacked in cash games playing in a 3-bet pot OOP, you should defend more ) In this spot however, 3-bet pot in a high paired flop board OOP, its a spot you can C-bet 100 percent of the time.

 

[loafaBREAD]

I actually disagree with these "C-bet 100%" people. I'm not sure what a solver would do, but V has a lot of Ax in his calling range that will defend here. We should be checking back some of our Ax hands as well from time to time.

As for our specific hand, I would not typically bet 99 for protection on this board. As fundiver explained, our protection bet would never work for its intended purpose as V is never folding those hands with equity against us (QJ, KQ, etc.).

With the I think a bet wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but all other combos I'm checking back. And for our range I think we have to take a small to medium size here- this is hardest for V to play against on the flop.

Check is fine as V has to be careful how he bets out OTT as well. Again, we should have some pretty strong hands that we check back with on the flop.

Turn- V leads out for half pot on a card that favours your range. V doesn't have many flush combos since you have the ... so he is either leading here with a royal flush or with 78-45dd.

I think he takes this sizing for protection with Ax hands. I also think this is a bad move in general by V as it makes his play a little more see-through.

I disagree with you that you often have the best hand here... not a chance! Snap fold and move on. Most 2nl players are checking their Tx here as well even if you check flop, so your solo diamond gets to realize its equity a lot. And you can defend here with some AQ with , AJ with and maybe some wheel aces that you checked back OTF.

Well played.