Semi-practical BB defense question

[Nate tha' Great]

Suppose you're considering defending your big blind heads up against a certain player with a hand that you think is fairly marginal (say something like 75o). You know roughly what percentage/range of hands that your opponent will have raised with.

*Given this hand range*, are you most inclined to make this blind defense against:

a. A player who plays more aggressively after the flop and tends to see a lot of showdowns (a raise-call guy)

b. A player who plays more aggressively after the flop but tends not to see a lot of showdowns (a raise-fold guy)

c. A player who plays more passively after the flop and tends to see a lot of showdowns (a call-call guy)

d. A player who plays more passively after the flop and tends not to see a lot of showdowns (a call-fold guy)

If you want, you can rank the options from best to worst.

[AceHigh]

Not that we get a choice but I prefer c and d. Let's see if I like the flop and if I do let's showdown my hand. Maybe take the lead and try and win before the showdown, but most of the time I will be going to the river anyway. I hate to pay a ton of bets and still feel like I have to see the showdown, when either of us could have the nutz or bottom pair. Course, if the player is that aggressive, I can rope a dope and do a check/call, check/call, bet...so it not enough to keep me from defending.

[DcifrThs]

well you earn bets when ahead w/ the agros but they put you in tough spots.

the passive call fold guy (d) is my favorite.

then comes the raise fold guy (b).

then the passive river hunter (c)

then the river seeing agro (a)...

although, you get mad bets when you hit w/ (a), he makes it hard to use early street checkraises to gain fold equity and you're forced to check call to make your hands.

i would rather my opponents fold in general though ..
-Barron

[ALL1N]

Interesting question.

I'd say C > D > A > B

I think you'll gain the most from small pairs against passive players who you can play more aggressively against and then fold to further aggression, and also the showdown guys since you can get good river value bets in.

[phish]

D, and it's not even close.

[geormiet]

Obviously d) is the most desirable, and a) the least.

I think the interesting question is choosing between b) and c).

Despite the fact that player b) is a more winning player than c), I would choose b) in this situation. Because 75 has such little showdown value, it is preferable to take up against the guy who sees fewer showdowns.

e.g. the flop is A59 - I'd be much happier vs. b) here than c) because I will actually be able to push him off of his JT or whatever by betting the flop.