$2 NLHE 6-max: UTG with AQ facing 3 bet from SB

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thomasguy3419

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pokerstars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
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UTG (Hero): $2.00 (100 bb)
MP: $1.35 (68 bb)
CO: $2.03 (102 bb)
BU: $2.00 (100 bb)
SB: $11.84 (592 bb)
BB: $2.07 (104 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is UTG with Q A
Hero raises to $0.06, 3 players fold, SB 3-bets to $0.15, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.09

Flop: ($0.32) A 8 9 (2 players)
SB bets $0.19, Hero raises to $0.65, SB raises to $11.69 (all-in), Hero calls $1.20 (all-in)
 
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gustav197poker

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We only know that the villain has been racking up a lot of money on zoom, due to his huge stack size.
Regarding this hand, his 3-bet preflop seems a bit weak in size to me, so we have 2 possibilities. Either we 4-bet large to try to knock him down or we call to take advantage of our position. The 2 options are good and allow us to define our postflop game.
As played on the flop, Villain has a strong hand or has a bluff. But it seems suspicious to me that villain makes a small min raise preflop with a strong hand like AA / AKs (we also block them). So I think the villain is hoping to get value out of those hands, which implies that this player can min raises with medium pockets like 88/99. This seems more reasonable to me, otherwise our range would look very strong when we call preflop and possibly we can produce more folds on villain. Then with AK it could be called more safely, but in reality AQ does not differ much. For an aggressive villain could still knock AJ down, setting up JTs in the caller range preflop of hero, which he now suffers at maximum pressure from the flop.
Greetings.
 
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Sidetracked

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Zoom is very tricky, as your reads on opponents will be more sketchy.

You do have position in the hand, so I think just calling down could be an option.

My guess is that he won the hand (otherwise you wouldn't have posted). Doyle Brunson hates AQ, and maybe you don't like it now very much either.
 
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300HPGOD

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Pre flop I would just call as you did although 4 betting is fine. The reason why I lean away from 4 betting is there is no way I am personally calling a 5 bet here. Id rather see the flop in position with a hand that can defend itself well against some hands that could do this as bluffs such as wheel suited aces or other random bluffs (which you dont see too much at 2NL).

On the flop I like just calling villains bet as it will keep all hands that we beat in the hand. If villain does have something like 109 or A3 suited then they should be folding to the raise you make. They wont always but they really should be folding there. When they jam over our raise I am trying to think of hands they do this with that we beat. I dont know villain and perhaps hero doesnt either but I dont think AJ does this or A10. The board is rainbow so it leaves flush draws out of the equation as well. Could wheel Ace suited do this? Doubt it but outside chance but to me that would be lighting chips on fire for the villain. 1010-KK would not do this either knowing we probably have an ace. I think it is a pretty easy fold knowing we are likely behind here and if my math is right getting 2.35 to 1 on a call. Are we winning 30% of the time here? I would think we are not even close to that.
 
TheBigFinn

TheBigFinn

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Makes sense, but looks bluffy to me.

Pre flop I would just call as you did although 4 betting is fine. The reason why I lean away from 4 betting is there is no way I am personally calling a 5 bet here. Id rather see the flop in position with a hand that can defend itself well against some hands that could do this as bluffs such as wheel suited aces or other random bluffs (which you don't see too much at 2NL).
I agree pre-flop. 6-handed Zoom plays loose and either calling or 4-betting works for me.
On the flop I like just calling villains bet as it will keep all hands that we beat in the hand. If villain does have something like T9 or A3 suited then they should be folding to the raise you make. They won't always but they really should be folding there. When they jam over our raise I am trying to think of hands they do this with that we beat. I don't know villain and perhaps hero doesn't either but I dont think AJ does this or A10. The board is rainbow so it leaves flush draws out of the equation as well. Could wheel Ace suited do this? Doubt it but outside chance but to me that would be lighting chips on fire for the villain. 1010-KK would not do this either knowing we probably have an ace. I think it is a pretty easy fold knowing we are likely behind here and if my math is right getting 2.35 to 1 on a call. Are we winning 30% of the time here? I would think we are not even close to that.
The analysis has merit, but I call every time. Why?
1. In a Zoom game having a big stack indicates a very loose aggressive player. Tight aggressive players take a break, and take some chips off the table. There are a lot of aces in a loose aggressive players range which AQ beats.
2. When one calls a 3-bet with AQ in a Zoom game and then hits rainbow, uncoordinated flop, It is time to get it in.
3. The pot odds are decent calling $1.20 to win $2.82.
4. Hero is a favorite to an AJs+, JJ+ range and is a 1/3 dog to AJs+. One needs to believe Villain won't bluf with a weak ace or turn KK or QQ into a bluff to fold. I don't. I am calling the big bully Zoom stack on anything close.
 
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ronn6583

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The opponent in the small blind decides to re-raise: usually Ax suited or a pair. I don't think he did it with a different hands.
On the flop he bets 0.6 pot and bets all-in on the re-raise.
What hands could he play like that? These are AA, 99.88, and possibly A9s or A8s.
AK looks like an underdog for all-in on this flop.
The probability of a bluff is very small here: the opponent is out of position; micro limit.
You decided to see what he plays with for the micro limit, such a decision is borderline.
Usually these players are very lucky with their hands. So I wouldn't be surprised if he shows AA.
 
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