Live 6/12 3 handed, 3 hands.

[NotMitch]

Late Saturday night I walked into the poker room at Harvey's Tahoe and saw that my 6/12 game from earlier was down to 3 handed, I jumped in to make it 4 handed. The house was only dropping a buck and the table had an auto shuffler so the game moved along. I had a blast playing and it was nice for Harvey's to let the game keep going short. After about 45 mins one guy left and it was down to 3 people.

It was a pretty good game because the guys I was playing with were letting me run over the game. This was odd for me since I have a tendency to be on the tight side, but I ran good and these guys were folding too much. I had very been aggressive but had showed down some big hands and had not been caught getting out of line. Both opponents played decently and might have been winners in a full game but didnt seem to open enough in this game.

I dont think these hands are all that interesting, but I dont play 3 handed all that often, and I rarely get to play live short handed.

First 2 hands below were against the same opponent, he was pretty aggressive pre flop and was randomly aggressive post flop.

Hand #1

SB limps, I check Q6o.

Flop is 642r, he bets, I raise, he 3 bets, I call planning to raise any turn.

Hand #2 Same SB limps I check JTo. Flop is QJx rainbow. he checks I bet he calls. Turn is a King he bets, I raise.

And one hand vs the other guy. This guy was less aggressive and pretty straight forward, he was also stuck (having taken some beats) and maybe steaming a little and seemed to be getting sick of my raising.

Hand #3 He limps UTG, SB folds,I raise JJ in the BB, he calls. Flop is 665r, I bet, he raises, I call planning to c/r any turn. Is it better to just keep going on the flop? It seems like there are a lot of cards he might to check behind on the turn and he also might think Im FOS on that flop and give a lot of action.

Thoughts on all or any of these appreciated.

Edit: I also straddled on the button which I know is awesome but I really had no idea WTF because it seemed to inspire the other 2 to start 3 betting and then the pot was big big and I had the button but really lousy cards and felt lost. Someone needs to write something on this to help dumb guys like me.

[callydrias]

#1 Good

#2 I don't like the raise. Just call and hit your OESD. Fold the river UI.

#3 This is a good hand to use to keep your image up. Keep firing and don't get tricky. If he folds before showdown, flash your cards to let him (them) know you're still playing solid cards.

Straddling on the button is very awesome. Get better cards next time.

[donger]

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Edit: I also straddled on the button which I know is awesome but I really had no idea WTF because it seemed to inspire the other 2 to start 3 betting and then the pot was big big and I had the button but really lousy cards and felt lost. Someone needs to write something on this to help dumb guys like me.

[/ QUOTE ]

How about: don't do it?

Hand 1, I think you overdid it live. I would just call this down and bet if checked to. Raising after the threebet seems spewey, esp. for B&M.

hand 2, raise this preflop. This guy raises a lot preflop, you said, and yet he's limping in with a chance to steal. You need to punish him with a hand as good as JT. I'm raising a LOT of stuff here. You have position and high cards, take the initiative.

Otherwise, a player like this is going to autobet a lot of flops when you should be the one taking down the pots.

Hand 3: checkraising the turn opens you up to giving free cards, and getting 3bet when you actually are behind. My holdem senses are a little warped since i've been playing like 99% O/8b and chinese poker lately, but I would either go three bets on the flop and lead the turn or call and donk the turn.

[NotMitch]

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Edit: I also straddled on the button which I know is awesome but I really had no idea WTF because it seemed to inspire the other 2 to start 3 betting and then the pot was big big and I had the button but really lousy cards and felt lost. Someone needs to write something on this to help dumb guys like me.

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How about: don't do it?


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Well I wanted to try it because I have read that its a big advantage, and I dont get too many chances. But since it was making the other guys play better, and left me lost, I stopped after a few orbits.

[27offsooot]

1: I would just call down after the three bet. You say these guys are passive, and he three bet u on a dry flop.
2: Easy raise PF. I would just call the turn. Raise improved on river or call UI or even fold depending on the flow.
3: Your line is fine, but I prefer 3-betting and betting turn. He may checked a lot of overcards on the turn.

[jba]

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Edit: I also straddled on the button which I know is awesome but I really had no idea WTF because it seemed to inspire the other 2 to start 3 betting and then the pot was big big and I had the button but really lousy cards and felt lost. Someone needs to write something on this to help dumb guys like me.

[/ QUOTE ]

How about: don't do it?


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oh man are you for real? it was my understanding this is against the rules in most places. it seems like there is a huge edge here

[donger]

what edge? Having the blinds know that you have a random hand is just going to make them play better against you. You want the blinds to at least THINK that you're being selective, even if you really aren't.

Can you three-bet your own straddle after the other players have called? If not, I can't see any advantage to straddling the button.

[NotMitch]

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what edge? Having the blinds know that you have a random hand is just going to make them play better against you. You want the blinds to at least THINK that you're being selective, even if you really aren't.

Can you three-bet your own straddle after the other players have called? If not, I can't see any advantage to straddling the button.

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Its live you can 3 bet it. I know there was some a thread about this (J.A. Sucker maybe?), but I cant seem to find it.

[27offsooot]

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Edit: I also straddled on the button which I know is awesome but I really had no idea WTF because it seemed to inspire the other 2 to start 3 betting and then the pot was big big and I had the button but really lousy cards and felt lost. Someone needs to write something on this to help dumb guys like me.

[/ QUOTE ]

How about: don't do it?


[/ QUOTE ]

oh man are you for real? it was my understanding this is against the rules in most places. it seems like there is a huge edge here

[/ QUOTE ]

Wait a second, I've never played with straddling, but isn't the point of straddling to buy you the button?
Why in the hell would you ever do this when u already have the button?

[donger]

I think this was a bad idea in your scenario. If the people you are playing against have been playing a weak-tight style against you, you just gave them a very good reason to stop folding. Before, they may have suspected that you were raising [censored] hands on the button, but kept folding anyway. Here, they now know that you haven't even looked at your cards and you are almost forcing them to adjust. This probably will help put them in the mindset to defend and erode the good thing you had going.

[jba]

straddling is just posting an extra blind which is usually very EV- because you are UTG where you normally are folding everything but very nice hands

but in a 3 way pot what % of hands are you raising from the button? lots, so you aren't losing a TON of money from posting an extra bet but now you can throw in three bets with really nice hands and have position on every single round

I don't know I haven't thought a ton about it or read any deep analysys, but I know a lot of places prohibit the button straddle in a 3 handed game, that and what I just said made me think it could be quite advantageous.

[jba]

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Can you three-bet your own straddle after the other players have called?

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yeah you can 3bet your straddle, I agree 100% that if you can't this is really really stupid

[jba]

OP

hand 1: i like your plan
hand 2: I assume you check behind unimproved?
hand 3: keep the initiative, I'd put in two or so more on the flop

[NotMitch]

Hand #1 I don't think I was giving too much action here, there is no way he has an overpair, and I'm not sure he he completes 64, 62, or 42. I just don't see what I'm behind here. If I do raise the turn and get called, I'm not sure how often I'm betting the river though.

In reality the turn was an Ace, SB checks (???)I bet, he folds. Really confused as to what he could have had here, this was really hard hand to figure out.

Hand #2 I think a PF raise is better as well. The second I raised I hated this, if he is ahead he can 3 bet and I have to call, and if he is behind he is unlikely to catch up and if he is stone bluffing bluffing why do I want to stop him? It seems like in all these situations raising seems pretty bad after the fact. Anyway he folded to the turn raise, so I play bad and win anyway

Hand #3 Turn was a Q, I cr'd, and bet the blank river, he called with A5 and MHIG. Still not sure about this one, I hadn't met a lot of resistance on the on flop, so I think counting on a turn bet I can cr seems dicey and getting 3 bet on the turn sucks.


On the subject of the button straddle, I have not been able to find the thread on it, but I'm pretty sure some pretty sharp posters said it was money. But a little information in the wrong hands can be deadly, so I suggest figuring out how to play it before using it.

Thanks for all the replies.

NM