$20 NLHE Full Ring: Just unlucky or did I take a wrong line?

[jer0en72]

Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 21/11/2

888Poker, Hold'em No Limit - $0.10/$0.20 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

asperslegend (UTG): $25.06 (125 bb)
black_white (MP): $20.00 (100 bb)
RePete61 (CO): $30.68 (153 bb)
paper_cutzz (BU): $22.14 (111 bb)
KPUDDING (SB): $20.00 (100 bb)
MilaPoker (BB): $33.02 (165 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.30) Hero (MilaPoker) is BB with J♠ A♠
2 players fold, RePete61 (CO) calls $0.20, 2 players fold, MilaPoker (BB) raises to $0.80, RePete61 (CO) calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.70) 2♦ 5♥ A♣ (2 players)
MilaPoker (BB) checks, RePete61 (CO) bets $0.85, MilaPoker (BB) calls $0.85

Turn: ($3.40) T♣ (2 players)
MilaPoker (BB) checks, RePete61 (CO) bets $1.70, MilaPoker (BB) calls $1.70

River: ($6.80) 4♦ (2 players)
MilaPoker (BB) checks, RePete61 (CO) bets $5.48, MilaPoker (BB) calls $5.48

Total pot: $17.76 (Rake: $0.88)

Showdown:
RePete61 (CO) shows 3♥ 3♣ (a straight, Ace to Five)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 50%, Flop: 25%, Turn: 14%, River: 100%)

MilaPoker (BB) mucks J♠ A♠ (a pair of Aces)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 50%, Flop: 75%, Turn: 86%, River: 0%)

RePete61 (CO) wins $16.88

My thinking here was as follows: he limp calls preflop so his range is typically small pocket pairs, some suited cards (67 to QJ). My equity against these hands is really good and I think if I bet this flop that the hand will be over a large % of the time. So I check to let him bluff at it, if he shuts down I will try to get value from these hands with a small bet. The turn doesn't change anything so I'm sticking to my plan. The river completes a straight for 33 and if he has a set now (or all along) then I'm just going to have to pay him off. He bets 90% and to be honest I snap called.

Did I get unlucky or should I play this differently? It's not the first time this has happened btw......

 

[Aballinamion]

Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 21/11/2

888Poker, Hold'em No Limit - $0.10/$0.20 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

asperslegend (UTG): $25.06 (125 bb)
black_white (MP): $20.00 (100 bb)
RePete61 (CO): $30.68 (153 bb)
paper_cutzz (BU): $22.14 (111 bb)
KPUDDING (SB): $20.00 (100 bb)
MilaPoker (BB): $33.02 (165 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.30) Hero (MilaPoker) is BB with J♠ A♠
2 players fold, RePete61 (CO) calls $0.20, 2 players fold, MilaPoker (BB) raises to $0.80, RePete61 (CO) calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.70) 2♦ 5♥ A♣ (2 players)
MilaPoker (BB) checks, RePete61 (CO) bets $0.85, MilaPoker (BB) calls $0.85

Turn: ($3.40) T♣ (2 players)
MilaPoker (BB) checks, RePete61 (CO) bets $1.70, MilaPoker (BB) calls $1.70

River: ($6.80) 4♦ (2 players)
MilaPoker (BB) checks, RePete61 (CO) bets $5.48, MilaPoker (BB) calls $5.48

Total pot: $17.76 (Rake: $0.88)

Showdown:
RePete61 (CO) shows 3♥ 3♣ (a straight, Ace to Five)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 50%, Flop: 25%, Turn: 14%, River: 100%)

MilaPoker (BB) mucks J♠ A♠ (a pair of Aces)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 50%, Flop: 75%, Turn: 86%, River: 0%)

RePete61 (CO) wins $16.88

My thinking here was as follows: he limp calls preflop so his range is typically small pocket pairs, some suited cards (67 to QJ). My equity against these hands is really good and I think if I bet this flop that the hand will be over a large % of the time. So I check to let him bluff at it, if he shuts down I will try to get value from these hands with a small bet. The turn doesn't change anything so I'm sticking to my plan. The river completes a straight for 33 and if he has a set now (or all along) then I'm just going to have to pay him off. He bets 90% and to be honest I snap called.

Did I get unlucky or should I play this differently? It's not the first time this has happened btw......

When you raise preflop you have range advantage versus Villain. Against some certain types of players we should be playing more aggressive, and check-raising strong hands that we don't see many cash players doing, for example, TPTK, TPSK, etc.

The Villain/CO/IP shoudn't be betting 1/2 pot OTF just because Hero checked, because although CO can present some strong Ax on its combos, and even A2 and A5, Hero/Preflop Aggressor still can have AK, AQ, AJ and AA, and none of these hands are very happy betting versus this range.

Calling OTF is not so bad, but given how weak your Villan seems, jamming, or making a preposterous raise sizing OTT could be the best move.
The problem is that we don't see many players doing this moves with TPTK at cash tables, most of times we are seeing either heavy values or busted bluffs.

We can be folding OTR, because it completed quite a fair chunk of Villain's non-sense range of hands, such as A4, AT, 54s, 42s, 3xs, 22, 44, 55, but calling is not so bad as raising Villain OTR.

Regards;

Carlos 'Aballinamion' Barbosa

Regards;

Carlos 'Aballinamion' Barbosa

 

[teh_colonel_saigon]

I would take the initiative in this particular hand with the strategy moving forward of ISOing wide and c betting often to put pressure on those under pairs. That way you can bet this board with something like KTs, QTs, and V will be pretty uncomfortable with his underpair.

But if V is going to be bluff heavy or betting his draws, perhaps your strategy is OK. I like aballinamion's idea of xr the turn. This is because V is checking behind rivers where he misses (likely). It is the problem with being out of position.

 

[quant1986]

Given villain stats, I would just bet 3 streets (30% pot, 70% pot, 70% pot) and fold to any raise.

As played, I think you can fold this river as there are not many bluff candidates especially this is Ace high board that favours preflop aggressor range.

 

[Kaleiduo]

This line looks fine. It's important to note that villain called on the river. Was villain expecting you to have 36 in your hand? Why wouldn't villain shove? Micro players are a mystery, either that or a bot. Anyways, we got lucky that villain didn't seem to be paying any attention.

 

[Julez97]

I like the raise pre-flop. Villain does not look too strong limping in here. Probably has a variety of weak pairs, weak aces, maybe some junky hands. AJs is a very good hand compared to their range. Honestly, you could even consider raising larger to 5x or even 6x if they will make a poor call. Take full advantage of bad players.

I like the check on the flop. Allow villain to take a stab with what is likely a worse hand. Alternatively, you could bet somewhere around 1/4 pot. But I prefer the check. When villain bets, I am expecting their range to consist of some weak Ax like A7, some random pairs like 33,44, 66, 77, some hand like 54s, or 64s, and some random trash. A pretty wide range.

I like that we are still checking. This card only improves AT. Villain should not have improved too often, and we are likely still ahead, allowing him to continue to bluff or value bet with weaker hands that have little equity. No point in raising, as we fold out too many worse hands.

River. Its a pretty terrible card. If he was bluffing with 33 he now makes a straight. If he had A3 rag he has a straight. A4 is 2 pair. Its doubtful that someone would bet like this with a random pair of 66 or a hand like A7. These spots are so underbluffed. I'm thinking he either made a set, has 2 pair, or a weird straight. For this size, I think its a fold.

 

[c0rnBr34d]

I like pre flop here, putting pressure on the limp.

Obviously the default here is to bet flop for value but the board is fairly dry with only the wheel draw and the Ace can be scary and make it hard to get action so this is a fine hand to have some strong checks to induce. We are strong here but not invincible. The more you play passive lines the more you'll notice how often one pair hands can get overtaken by the river. Flop can also be played as a x/r since we are OOP and we don't plan to get three streets of value anyways. We can double barrel then check / eval river unimproved. I don't like the plan of x/c ing 3 streets with one pair third kicker though. If we had a set or two pair I'd be more comfortable trapping the whole way. Or if V was a certified maniac and we didn't want to over bloat the pot with one pair.

As played if I x/c flop I'm definitely x/r turn as now there are flush and wheel draws to go with dodging two pair and sets. How do we know which rivers are safe? And again, we are OOP so realizing our equity is tougher. Check calling turn may not be terrible but I wouldn't call it a good play either. As you can see we will create a lot of spots where V can check back rivers and only bet when they improve and have us beat. It makes us have to make great reads and essentially give "free-ish" cards the whole way allowing them to name their own price to draw and only bet river with value.

As strong as our hand was pre flop, flop, and turn, facing this sizing on the river it's now a bluff catcher. I think V usually shows up with at least two pair here as there are really no natural missed draws. These polarizing river bets can be tough to play against. The larger the bet the more often we have to be right to call it off. Our hand is under-repped but it looks like we have a weak Ace or backed into a flush draw when we flat the turn. With this run out what are his bluffs? What hands missed and have to buy it on the river? Has this V used this large sizing as a bluff before? I think we need a strong read to call here. I don't expect him to polarize this large with hands that have lots of showdown value against our passive line. Why would he turn A9- into a bluff? I would expect him to have any missed draws with low or no showdown value and 2 pair+ here. Due to sizing I'm leaning fold unless I've seen this guy bluff like this before.

 

[davidsincara]

How loose openrange is recommended to put pressure on limpers? JT+? lower?

 

[Dkerridge14]

So on the turn checking here is a bad idea because you’re giving an opportunity for the villain to check behind which is bad because all the drawing hands can check behind or bet. When villain does bet here then villain is going to bet all pairs as you look as if you’re bluffing and this in turn allows villain to barrel on the river again with loads of hands. So check raising would of been fine but I would of rather just barrelled the turn and extract value from all of the draws which are calling. Of course sometimes the way the hand as played out sometimes you will be running into sets but you can’t help that at all. Value extraction on the turn would of been greater with a 3/4- pot size bet

 

[Dkerridge14]

Side note. Check raise is no where near as valuable as a straight bet because when opponent does continue it narrows range to sets and flush draws. Just barrelling allows T’s, Ax, all draws and lower pocket pairs.

 

[Alex_Ogienko]

I do not like this line. Too passive. Preflop is good, the check is fine on such a flop, but I would play a check-raise. Or a check-call flop and would definitely bet the turn. Since played, I would fold the river.