Mirage 20-40: Big blind defense with 33

The game has been fluctuating from very loose to tight. It's in its tight phase right now. My table image, as usual, is super tight.


Everybody folds to the button, a decent player, who opens with a raise. Small blind folds. I'm in the big blind with 3c3s. I 3-bet and the button calls.


The flop is: Kc,Js,6h


I bet. The button doesn't look to happy about this flop. He calls.


The turn is: Kc,Js,6h,Ad


I bet. Button calls.


The river is: Kc,Js,6h,Ad,7s


I bet. Button calls and takes the pot with QJo.

Played fine, except you could have saved the river bet if you knew the button was a decent player.


With that board, it's pretty obvious that the caller wasn't on a draw or overcards, and by calling the turn bet, it seems to me that he had made up his mind to call you down.


BTW, I'm assuming a decent player in this situation is less than 20% likely to fold on the end for one more bet. Of course, if you think there's at least a 20% chance that this player will fold on the end, your bet is a good one.


DC

I dont have a problem with raising preflop to defend your big blind. You show the button that when he makes a steal attempt it may cost him 3 bets. I like betting the flop and the turn. I would check the river. It is unlikely, given the texture of the board that you will get called by a worse hand or that you will make a better hand fold. I would check the river and I would probably fold. If there wasnt both an ace and a king on the board I would probably check the river and call hoping to pick off a bluff. But with the way the board looked after you bet the turn I would have checked the river.

I live in Norwalk. To play Hold'em, I need to drive up to Foxwoods or Mohegan, or down to the Taj.


Or do I?


Dave

Dyanasty,


I have an unconventional play in this exact situation which works about 60% of the time vs. a solid player. I bet the flop as you did then if any scare card comes on the turn I check. If it is checked back to me I come out betting the river no matter what comes 20% of the time they fold. If it is bet to me on the turn I raise, they fold here 20% of the time. If they call I bet the river, 20% of the time they fold here. It gives you more opportunitys to win the pot without a showdown. Of course it also gives you more opportuintys to lose money but if you are correct about your table image it should be very profitable long term.


Jimbo

I think the button's continued calling of you, especially on the river, was foolish. It would be hard for me to believe that he really put you on a small pair, especially when the ace hits. The pot is not very big, and not really worth chasing for him if you DO have him beat on the turn.


However, your play may be slightly magoo-er than he were. After getting called on the turn, I don't really like your river bet. Prior to that, your play is actually OK by me.


Dave in Hellville, TX (it's a hundred and eleven-teen degrees here)