How aggressive with 55 v. steal?

[RunDownHouse]

I've only been at the table for a few orbits, but I've been hit over the deck in that time, so I've been raising a lot and taking down pots without really showing anything. The previous hand, the SB (who is the stealer in the hand below) limped in, I raised with 33, flop came 532, check, bet, fold.

I thought that I really needed to get this heads up against the steal raise, so I 3bet pf and, once he didn't cap, planned on leading a non-threatening flop.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 4 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls.

Flop: (7 SB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero...

Check/fold seems way weak. Leading out seems like I'll get popped a lot of the time and still not be sure if I'm really behind to an A/Q or he's got some kind of broadway or frush draw. Calling down likewise seems too passive.

Lost. Help.

[Danenania]

You should be auto-betting any flop HU. If he calls or raises I'm done with the hand.

[MAxx]

ditto... this pot is worth one more bet. if he doesnt have an A or Q or very strong hand himself , he will will be hard pressed in most cases to strongly consider folding some likely very live cards. If he raises flop, smell you later....next hand. If he calls....I'm pretty sure in most cases I won't be calling turn bets.

[Grisgra]

[ QUOTE ]
You should be auto-betting any flop HU. If he calls or raises I'm done with the hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree. I'd have been tempted to slowplay the set on the 532 flop, but I understand why you didn't.

[cartman]

[ QUOTE ]
I completely agree. I'd have been tempted to slowplay the set on the 532 flop, but I understand why you didn't.

[/ QUOTE ]

When a pf raiser checks in a spot like this I think at least 90% of the time he has a monster. I think you are more likely to get action by betting (because he will assume you have overcards) than by slowplaying. For this reason, if I raise preflop and I am checked to, I bet even if I flop quads. Should I be slowplaying sometimes?

Thanks,
Cartman

[Jeff W]

Bet the flop and then give up unless you catch a set. This strategy is break-even if you take the pot down 1/8 times. If you're not comfortable making this bet, then you should not reraise pre-flop.

[Grisgra]

[ QUOTE ]

When a pf raiser checks in a spot like this I think at least 90% of the time he has a monster. I think you are more likely to get action by betting (because he will assume you have overcards) than by slowplaying.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what YOU think, and that's what I think as well. But that's not necessarily what random donk SB thinks, or random guy looking for a weakness thinks. They easily could think it's AK deciding to take a free card, and shoot out a bet on the turn on the off chance they can get you to fold.

[Danenania]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You should be auto-betting any flop HU. If he calls or raises I'm done with the hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree. I'd have been tempted to slowplay the set on the 532 flop, but I understand why you didn't.

[/ QUOTE ]

Note that giving a free card on a 532 flop is fairly dangerous. Perhaps a less coordinated flop would serve as a better example for your argument.

[RunDownHouse]

Just about the only worse flop for me would have been AKx, which is why I was hesitant about betting out, especially since I'm out of position. As far as the hand with the set of 3s goes, I was in position and pretty much auto-bet after a pf raise when in position. I see what you're saying, Grisga, but another consideration is that this is the 1/2 game. Calling down when dead or nearly dead is what these people do best, and they do a lot of it.

So I should bet out, and if I get called, check/fold the turn?

[Danenania]

It's actually a decent flop for you as you have a good chance of getting 66-JJ to fold to your bet.

[Jeff W]

Not to mention random overcards that don't have an ISD.

[Grisgra]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You should be auto-betting any flop HU. If he calls or raises I'm done with the hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree. I'd have been tempted to slowplay the set on the 532 flop, but I understand why you didn't.

[/ QUOTE ]

Note that giving a free card on a 532 flop is fairly dangerous. Perhaps a less coordinated flop would serve as a better example for your argument.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought about before posting, and there are lots scarier flops for us here. I don't think it's too dangerous. SB open-limped, meaning he probably doesn't have two super-low cards (otherwise he'd have folded), but he probably doesn't have an ace (otherwise he would have raised).

He's probably got some crap like T8s or K7o. Because the chance he has an ace is quite low, the scary 4-outer isn't as scary as it'd otherwise be. And the pot isn't big enough to stress myself about runner-runners.

I'm comfortable slowplaying here against a straightforward opponent.

On the other hand, if this is 1/2, I'd expect a SB that didn't hit, but that had two overs, to have a good chance to call the flop/fold the turn unimproved, in which case the flop bet isn't a mistake.

[Danenania]

IMO the way to slowplay if you must is to bet the flop and try to checkraise the turn.

[Grisgra]

[ QUOTE ]
IMO the way to slowplay if you must is to bet the flop and try to checkraise the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a good idea only if you have enough power over time and space to be able to checkraise the turn from the BB when you're HU against the SB. I, unfortunately, do not have sufficient power to pull this off.

[Danenania]

I admit it's a tough skill to master. Maybe for 20 bucks I let you in on it... /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Danenania]

Wait, no! Hero IS the SB dummy. Trying to make fun of me... ha.

[Grisgra]

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pay 20 bucks so you can show me out to change it so I'm out of position instead of in position? Hmmm . . . sounds -EV to me . . . though I suppose it could be profitable in some situations /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[Grisgra]

[ QUOTE ]
Wait, no! Hero IS the SB dummy. Trying to make fun of me... ha.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the case where he had 33 and the flop was 532, Hero was the BB, villain was the SB.

[Danenania]

Oh. Well I can't be expected to follow every little topical turn this thread takes!

[Grisgra]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh. Well I can't be expected to follow every little topical turn this thread takes!

[/ QUOTE ]

Topical turn?! The hand was in his original post! /images/graemlins/blush.gif
More importantly, do you agree that as flops go, this actually isn't too scary for the Hero here? (the 532 flop).

[Danenania]

Oh now I see what's going on. I didn't see that part at the top of the OP.

Um, I'm still not a fan of checking that flop. Weak Aces are a favorite of open limpers across all limits, and I think many would check the flop with one fearing a slowplay.

Also I think you will often be called or raised on a flop like that anyway. No need to get fancy.