JJ vs. Players and their Styles

This is really a question about how to play against players based on their image and your image so a bit more detail about the players involved...


Online 3/6...


I've been playing and folding for almost an hour. My image is certainly tight.


I get dealt JJ UTG and open for a raise. Poster to my immediate left calls. This guy is very loose and aggressive (LA), always looking to put a move on someone. Played with him before and I'm sure he views my as a standard tight "by the book" player though I have but a move or two on him. Middle postion player (MP) calls - new guy with no real read on him yet. Late middle position calls. He is very aggressive (VA) and a touch on the loose side - tries to run over the table and we have played together once before and I think he views me as tight maybe passive player since I have never been able to defend against his aggressive moves. Buttons calls as well.


Five see the flop of 9cTs9d. I bet out. LA raises. This means just about nothing to me since I know if he had a nine he would have gone for the checkraise on the turn. MP calls, VA three-bets - this could be a lot of things. A nine, ten, straight draw. Possible overcards, but less likely hear. Button folds.


So, based on the players and our perceptions, what do you do? I folded.


LA caps and all call. Turn is a Qh. LA bets, MP folds, VA raises, LA calls. River is a 4c. LA bets, VA calls, and LA takes it down with T5o.


I'm interested in how others would have played this hand? In retrospect I think I was a pansy and folded - letting VA scare me out since I new LA was full of it. Fortunately, I smacked both around later when they tried to get frisky.

I think the key to this hand was the cold-call by MP. THAT'S the hand you have to worry about, not the "tricky" aggressive players who want to put moves on you and who are almost sure to slow-play flopped trips.


So you need to evaluate the chances of him calling without a 9. The connected board does suggest a variety of straight draws and so I would be tempted to call.


You should have checked the flop, thus encouraging them to flail away, and then called these clowns down. Your decisions are a lot easier to make that way.


You are trying to out-muscle the muscle players and that is NEVER going to work on the early rounds. Wait for the later rounds or when they are for some reason afraid of you. THEN apply your muscle figuring them to respond straight forwardly.


- Louie

I agree completely on MP being the one to watch. Thanks for the advice on not leading out. It takes me awhile sometimes to adjust to very aggressive players. Things to think about...


Thanks....

That's a good fold. You're either a slight favorite or a big dog. You could be drawing dead or close to it. These are situations to avoid. You can pick better situations in which to fight. You want the other guys to be playing slight/favorite big/dog scenarios while you play big favorite/slight dog scenarios.


You said you later whacked them around, so it sounds like you were doing just that. Don't let results sway you from making good folds. This is where you win a lot of money. While they're flailing away making fancy plays with trash, you pick your spots and make your moves when you have outs to back you up.