Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 27/24/1

Donk bet seems strong here, but with gut shot and backdoor to nut straight I call. Don't know much about villain after only 40ish hands, but seems positionally aware and not utterly terrible.

The Q on the turn is actually not great unless villain has total air (which would be strange as played) and I think a fold was better here, not thrilled that I called this, 2nd pair not great on this board vs a villain who seems very interested. I'm probably against sets, two pair or Ax often. Q also completes some straight draws. How many incomplete draws really donk bet flop and then bet this strong on the turn? I don't have enough info on villain to suggest he'd double barrel here with a draw or as a semi bluff of any kind.

Anyone just folding on the flop? Seems like that would not be awful against an unknown opponent. That damn 'implied odds' voice was whispering in my ear when I called flop...





Pacific Poker - $0.05 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 2 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (SB): 130 BB
BB: 114 BB

Hero posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has K♦ Q♦

Hero raises to 3 BB, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 2 players) 9♠ A♦ J♣
BB bets 3 BB, Hero calls 3 BB

Turn: (12 BB, 2 players) Q♥
BB bets 9 BB, Hero calls 9 BB

River: (30 BB, 2 players) 7♥
BB bets 32 BB, fold

BB wins 28.6 BB

You play this hand well.

I'm almost always calling the flop here against a donk bet when we have gutshot / backdoor nut flush, and also are ahead of air/draws.

Turn call with second pair and gutshot is good, and I agree on folding river against an overbet.

Thanks Collin. It is the type of hand my instincts at the time say call but then i second guess things when studying off the table and worry I'm getting too loose or passive.

I agree with the decisions, you made on all streets. Of course heads up is very based on dynamics, but in a vacuum we certainly can not assume, that his donking range is only top pair or better. So you cant just let him take pots away from you with random donk bets, and heads up the nut nothing has showdown value. Plus you have a gutshot, you have two overcards to second pair, and on the turn you improve to second pair. On the river though I do think, you need to give him credit and fold. You have defended enough already, and its not like, he is giving you a good price.

The flop is fine, and at these stakes, a raise is even ok, as a lot of these donk bets tend to be weak top pair or second pair hands. You guys have pretty equal range on this kind of flop.

The turn is a standard fold though. If he's barreling twice into a PFR you're either way behind at this point, or your opponent has decent enough equity to justify a barrel. With second pair and a gutshot that won't have implied odds (unless your opponent bluffs a lot), it's higher EV imho to fold.

I can get behind a turn fold as well. We were really looking to hit a T or a diamond, and hitting a pair does not put us in the greatest of spots. KT just made a straight, and there are a lot of two pair combos, he could be betting for value as well as top pair, which we are still behind to. Here is, where I think, dynamics are important in a heads up battle. It basically comes down to, how bluffy you think, he is with this line.

All helpful, thanks guys