Weirdly played 77

[Spicymoose]

Don't have much of a read on villain. He is 33/27 after 35 hands.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.33 SB) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 2/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.16 BB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG calls.

River: (7.16 BB) 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 9.16 BB

Thoughts on my line?

[spydog]

I like your flop checkraise, but once he 3-bets I let him bet the turn and then I lead the river if it's not a King or Ace.

What is your plan if he raises the turn?

i'd have 3bet preflop here. middle pocket pairs play better on most flops against an EP raiser w/ initiative.

example. he raises utg with KQs, you 3bet out of the bb w/ 77, flop comes Axx. you bet, he's in a tough spot.

if you just flat call there, you are in the tough spot.

another - he raises AJo UTG, you 3bet 77 in the bb. flop comes Qxx. you bet.

3betting is far superior to flat calling in this situation imo.

[Spicymoose]

[ QUOTE ]
I like your flop checkraise, but once he 3-bets I let him bet the turn and then I lead the river if it's not a King or Ace.

What is your plan if he raises the turn?

[/ QUOTE ]

Was planning on folding. Is this bad? Do I get bluffed out here too much?

[Spicymoose]

[ QUOTE ]
i'd have 3bet preflop here. middle pocket pairs play better on most flops against an EP raiser w/ initiative.

example. he raises utg with KQs, you 3bet out of the bb w/ 77, flop comes Axx. you bet, he's in a tough spot.

if you just flat call there, you are in the tough spot.

another - he raises AJo UTG, you 3bet 77 in the bb. flop comes Qxx. you bet.

3betting is far superior to flat calling in this situation imo.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I like that plan too, but I never know what to do once I get raised on the flop. Call down to the river? Call down only if A doesn't hit? I'm always clueless once I get raised, which is often.

[Cancuk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'd have 3bet preflop here. middle pocket pairs play better on most flops against an EP raiser w/ initiative.

example. he raises utg with KQs, you 3bet out of the bb w/ 77, flop comes Axx. you bet, he's in a tough spot.

if you just flat call there, you are in the tough spot.

another - he raises AJo UTG, you 3bet 77 in the bb. flop comes Qxx. you bet.

3betting is far superior to flat calling in this situation imo.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I like that plan too, but I never know what to do once I get raised on the flop. Call down to the river? Call down only if A doesn't hit? I'm always clueless once I get raised, which is often.

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Me too.

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Yes, I like that plan too, but I never know what to do once I get raised on the flop. Call down to the river? Call down only if A doesn't hit? I'm always clueless once I get raised, which is often.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, i guess the answer - which kinda sucks - is "it depends" what is your read on your opponent? did he cap preflop? if so, you're probably against an overpair. would he cap AK or AQ preflop? more incentive to play on if the flop is favorable. how tricky is your opponent? would he raise the flop with overs? what's the texture of the flop like? are the draws out there that he could be calling/raising with? you kinda just have to develop a feel for this kind of stuff.

you're representing a great deal of strength by 3betting out of the bb, he's gonna be the one on the defensive. i don't expect the average player to be taking a lot of shots on me in this situation, but they do happen and you have to know what your opponents are capable of.

once you get raised on the flop, you pretty much have to decide your chances of being ahead or behind. if the flop comes K x x with no straight/flush draws, and you get raised after 3betting from the bb, - it's pretty safe to assume you're behind.

otoh, if the flop comes 8 5 2 rainbow and you get raised - strongly consider 3betting/leading the turn. when you 3bet out of the bb, a lot of players immediately put you on AK or a big pocket pocket pair. when the flop comes all rags, they think they have a good spot to steal off of AK and will frequently put you to the test. what you don't want to do in this situation is go into "check/call" mode after a single flop raise which usually means nothing. because you give too many free cards, give too many free SDs to A high. i like to keep the pressure on unless i get popped on the turn.

[phy1234]

If you are going to lead the turn and he just calls he most likely A) has you in bad shape but does not want to get 3 bet from trips or B) Just has overs and doesn't believe you. Given this I think you should lead the river. A better hand is going to bet if you check and a worse hand will most likely check behind where as he will call a bet. That's all I got.

Phy1234

[Spicymoose]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are going to lead the turn and he just calls he most likely A) has you in bad shape but does not want to get 3 bet from trips or B) Just has overs and doesn't believe you. Given this I think you should lead the river. A better hand is going to bet if you check and a worse hand will most likely check behind where as he will call a bet. That's all I got.

Phy1234

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Given he was pretty agro, my thinking was:

a) given my action, he might try to bluff me with A high or a PP
b) occasionally he might bluff raise me off the best hand (does this ever happen)
c) another benefit was that he might check behind a hand that beat me being scared

Maybe value bet was best though...