Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 25/20/2

Additional stats of opponent: FS:80 / F3B:67 / 3B:5 / FFCB:83 / CBF:45 / CBT:14

Share your thoughts about this hand. I will reveal later what he had.
But this semi-loose player raised PF, and I call with my 88 and I got top set in the flush heavy board.

He cBets on the flop, and I made a small raise (2x of the initial raise), and he just called. By that raise, I wanted to represent possible flush, and because he only called, I was sure he can't have a flush. Also by making such small bet, I wanted to gain information, if he re-raise, I will be sure he has a flush.

On the Turn no action, I made a bet and then he went all-in, easy decision to call because I was short-stacked and not much to left, so I called, and there is also possible full house for me on the River.

What do you think he could possibly have? Flush? I thought he had two pairs.


iPoker - €0.20 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 103 BB (VPIP: 28.91, PFR: 19.73, 3Bet Preflop: 6.80, Hands: 313)
UTG: 81.05 BB (VPIP: 50.00, PFR: 25.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 8)
MP: 125.25 BB (VPIP: 25.21, PFR: 19.83, 3Bet Preflop: 5.06, Hands: 246)
CO: 102.35 BB (VPIP: 31.51, PFR: 21.92, 3Bet Preflop: 6.45, Hands: 78)
Hero (BTN): 50 BB
SB: 100 BB (VPIP: 30.88, PFR: 20.59, 3Bet Preflop: 11.11, Hands: 73)

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 8♦ 8♣

fold, MP raises to 2 BB, fold, Hero calls 2 BB, fold, BB calls 1 BB

Flop: (6.5 BB, 3 players) 8♥ 5♥ 2♥
BB checks, MP bets 4.55 BB, Hero raises to 9.1 BB, fold, MP calls 4.55 BB

Turn: (24.7 BB, 2 players) Q♣
MP checks, Hero bets 14 BB, MP raises to 114.15 BB, Hero calls 24.9 BB

River: (102.5 BB, 2 players) A♠

I think a lot of hands can take this line from V. His stats and position indicate he's not raising wide enough to have straight draws. He can have flushes (although I wouldn't expect to see nut flushes too often due to flop sizing), QQ+ especially with one heart, Ahx, KhQ. He could also have 55 on occasion. I wouldn't expect a flush to 3 bet this flop. They don't want to scare you away. But once you bet turn you are committed so they can jam for value. I still don't mind your line. I would probably flat the flop at some frequency with top set since we can easily continue on any non-heart turn but raising is also fine. Charging the draws OTT is mandatory and with that stack size you can't fold to the raise.

Don't really see the point in "clicking" the flop.

First of all, villain can have a ton of flushes (about 20 combos), so the top set isn't really nutted "we-want-to-get-it-in" combo (although sitting on 50BB stack makes it a bit better) and if we gii on the flop, we're likely looking at a flush on the other side (or a lower set or high overpair with a heart).

And if you actually want to get it in, pick a bigger size - you don't allow yourself an opportunity to go all-in without overbetting the turn with this small sizing.

Bet/calling the turn is pretty standard. Its now way less likely that the villain has a flush, and after his raise you're almost getting direct odds to call versus a flush. When we add in Ah bluffs and Qx with a heart, it's just a slam-dunk call.

P.S. Just read your thoughts on "getting information with a small raise". OTF you're getting the odds to call versus a flush IP, it's much better to call and try to outdraw him instead of making some weird valuebluff.

I think you shoudl be raising a good chunk of the time preflop with 88. As played to the flop, I think my check/raise sizing is going to be bigger(15-16 BB planning a turn jam). There's just no way I'm folding this hand. I think it's weird that he only called your postflop check-raise and then jammed turn. This feels like Qx with x being of hearts. It's also possible he has AA or KK with 1 heart, or no hearts.

I am not loving your mini-raise on the flop, and especially not your rationale. In general we are not betting or raising in poker to "get information". We bet or raise to get called by worse hands, to get better hands to fold, or to deny significant amounts of equity.

You are never getting better hands to fold on this flop, so a raise has to be for value/protection. Which mean it need to be bigger. You want to either charge his flush draws some more or make them fold. You dont want to give him like the sickest odds to continue with 9h9s, because he is not even making a mistake, when he does.

Its also totally ok to just call here and try to protect your stack. As Vlad say he can have at least 20 combos of the flush, so ideally you would like to see the board pair, before you decide to commit your stack. By just calling you somewhat underrepresent your hand, and you allow him to continue hanging himself on the turn, if he has a hand like an overpair with no heart.

Thank you for great answers. I learned a lot. He had AT heart so yes, he got a nut flush

Originally Posted by poker_bro

Thank you for great answers. I learned a lot. He had AT heart so yes, he got a nut flush

Thanks for sharing results. I'm surprised V continued on the flop with a 70% pot sized bet with the nuts. He should only be getting called by sets and smaller flushes here. In general he's not getting enough value with that sizing in my opinion but he was lucky that we were strong enough to continue and his sizing mistake actually helped disguise his hand. If he unblocks the Ace of hearts he can get value from a lot more flush draws.

You shouldn't really be playing 50bb stacks maybe consider moving down to 10nl and playing full stacked poker.As played with that stack size you cant really fold top set even vs a flush with the price your getting i dont think