20/40 short drawing hand

[KINGOFINLAND]

I have been playing lot of shorthanded(6player) big bet poker. But ive been lately got intrested about shorthanded fixed mainly because of tempo of the game. And capping /images/graemlins/tongue.gif .
Anyway I have been playing little 20/40 and 15/30 shorthanded online(please dont say i should start with smaller stakes, this game wont hurt my bankroll even if i would run bad little while) and been running ok but not good.. as I have done in 6seat PL/NL.



So i need some tips with my game. I have read some books about fixed like TOP and inside the poker mind, but there isint much about shorthanded play. In inside the poker mind Feeney says that you play short handed much like middle/late position at normal game, but thats about all what they say.

There is one thing which im most confused: How to play drawing hands on the flop, turn and river when you dont hit.

Lets take a hand from my session earlier today from 20/40 5handed game.

Im on the button and two players have folded before me.
I have A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif and raise.

Both blinds call.

Flop is 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
Both check to me, I bet(this is good?) SB folds and BB raises, what now raise or just call? He seems to be TAG.

Ive been watching some ladbrokes 100/200 and there button would "allways" raise back.

So i raised, and he called.

Turn is 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif
He check and I bet(check here better?) he calls.

River is K /images/graemlins/club.gif
He checks again and I check.

I quess results doesent matter here.

[Kaz The Original]

I'll take a stab at it.

I like the flop 3 bet, but for different reasons. I want a free card on the turn. I also like it when my three bets have less "validity". Especially short handed I like it when people think I'm bluffing and have to call me down.

On the turn you've picked up another 3 outs (for the wheel. That's 9 for the flush, 3 for the ace (hopefully!) and 3 for the wheel straight). An excellent situation.

Could he have check raised on the come? That is the only reason I could see for betting the turn and trying for a showdown. The default line is of course to check behind on the turn and fold to a river bet. You got to pay 1 small bet instead of one big bet so be happy.

Betting the turn has some advantages. If he could check raise on a draw he can't take a shot at you on the river. Also, if he was on the draw (like 75 or something) and picked up a pair a river bet might get him to fold.

Personally, I three bet the flop, check behind on the turn and fold to a river bet without improvement. Then, next time I'm in a hand with this guy, I check raise him on the river.

But that's just me.

[na4bart]

Short handed is a different animal. Your line was just fine assuming the other guy can play. In the same situation I DON'T take the free card on the turn, I give the other guy a chance to make a mistake and fold. I play my draws aggressively as I want my opponents to have to guess as to whether or not I have a made hand. And sometimes I do! If your opponents are guessing you have way the best of it. Many times a bare ace will be good enough to win.