3456

[timprov]

I've been thinking about this hand today for two reasons. The first was an opponent in the UB 2/4 who thought it was a premium starting hand, which was nice but not very interesting.

What I'm wondering more is what to do with the hand when you end up with this. Obviously it's not going to happen very much, but in the ultrapassive games at 24h I find myself with it in the blind after the first draw a fair amount. What I've been doing is keeping 345, but I'm not at all certain this is the best plan.

Mostly this is against players I can be pretty certain will never bet a draw.

[randomstumbl]

On the first two draws, I'd much rather draw to 345 than 3456. It allows me to either make the hand or fold. Oddly, catching an 8 is probably the best possible card using either tactic.

With position and a fairly predicatable opponent, keeping the 6 is probably much better though. I don't play that way because I don't know the math well enough to fold after the second draw for one bet with a one card draw HU. Though, really, it's probably correct to fold a lot of the time against passive opponents.

Obviously, I'm only talking about 2-3 handed play. Anything more than that, and I'm only playing 3456 with a duplicated card or two to steal the blinds or defend the BB against a semi-loose opponent.

[timprov]

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I don't play that way because I don't know the math well enough to fold after the second draw for one bet with a one card draw HU.

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost universally in this situation the betting has gone complete-check, check-check. So it's really easy to fold for one bet, since the bet's the size of the pot.

[DeadMoneyOC]

For what my novice opinion is worth I usually play the hand VERY fast when in a HU situation. Say I raise on the button with 6543 and some donkey calls in the SB, draws two, I then usually draw one looking to either catch an 8 or a duece(obviously planning on tossing the 6 if the 2 comes). I find with position this isnt a bad move at all because its more like playing the player rather than the cards. Your drawing one and he/she is drawing two and sometimes more. The idea of being ahead is sometimes good enough to pick up the pot after the second draw, and you could obviously make a 86, or some very smooth hand if you catch the 2 and toss the 6. This just really sucks when you catch a 7...

I dont think this move is going to be profitable against better players, but against people who will often times defend with hands even worse than 6543 then it obviously works quite well.