CR AK high against LAG

[thesharpie]

He's something like 80/21. He has limp and limp reraised with monsters before, but I don't put too much weight to his lrr due to him overlimping in the first place. I've seen him bluff bet, gaybet, stop and go, and all that alot, don't remember him bluff raising. This is the 2nd or 3rd time I've raised him on the flop with less than a pair trying to isolate. I have a maniac image due to this and the fact I've picked up many monsters the past few hands.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls, Button calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls, <font color="#CC3333">Button 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero caps</font>, MP calls, Button calls.

Flop: (13 SB) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP folds, <font color="#CC3333">Button 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (9.50 BB) A/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

River: (11.50 BB) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13.50 BB



While we're at it here's another hand with the same cat that's been bugging me.

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

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 2/images/graemlins/club.gif, 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero ???

Do you play it differently if you're against the type of LAG who might bluff check raise this turn, or check raise the turn with hands you have outs against? I don't think this guy bluffs check raises, although I can't be sure, but I do think he check raises when I have 6 outs.

[Nick C]

If your iso-raises had been working, and it sounds like they were, then I like the flop checkraise. Incidentally, it imitates the popular "cap preflop, check top set" play; I kind of doubt MP will actually decide you must have TT and fold for that reason, but it is possible your play represents a stronger hand to your opponents than you actually hold. (Then again, I think the usual follow-up to the "cap preflop, check top set" play is just to call the flop.)

In any event, you may actually have the best hand. Among other things, if MP actually had something, he might have led the flop.

The turn card is pretty scary to anyone without an ace or a heart, but I'm wondering how likely the LAG really is to check behind. Betting does allow him to bluff-raise or semibluff-raise, but according to your read he's not the type of LAG who does those things much.

I don't know. I probably wouldn't checkraise here either, but I do think it's something to consider. Partly I think the decision depends on how much we can count on Button to bet.

Anyway, were you 3-betting if you got raised? If you think Button will raise with AJs or JTs or 99, then that is a reason to think about going for a bet/3-bet.

The fourth flush card is not what you want to see on the river. I'd probably consider pulling a Clarkmeister but then decide that I wanted to see a showdown against this 80/21 guy and also didn't want to pay two BBs to get there. You do have a read that Button doesn't seem to bluff-raise, but I have trouble trusting my postflop reads of that sort when my opponent is 80/21, and I would probably check-call the river too. Besides, Button doesn't sound like he's one to resist betting if checked to very often.

In Hand 2, one problem you have is that your hand has such marginal strength. You'd prefer not to give a free card to a 6-outer like QT or a 10-outer like 65o or a 14-outer like J /images/graemlins/club.gif 6 /images/graemlins/club.gif, but you're not even beating hands like A3/A4, which the LAG won't fold, and if he just has, say, KT, I'm thinking he'll probably see the river with that as well.

If I bet (partly to set up a river bluff), I would probably fold to a checkraise. Six outs is just barely enough anyway, and sometimes you'll have less, and based on your read, the checkraise means you don't have the best hand.

Something else to consider is checking behind and then calling the river unimproved (if bet into). There are some bluffs and missed draws you don't even beat, but the king does give you some showdown value, especially against a LAG.

Just folding your unimproved K9o if bet into on the river (after you check the turn) in this fairly small pot is another idea. I'm not sure I really like that line a whole lot, but it is probably what I'd do, a fair amount of the time.