Blind Defense?

[PokerBob]

CO is a TAG. Someting like 17/10/2.

Party 3/6 full.
Folds to CO who raises. Folds to PBob in BB with JJ. I 3-bet. CO caps.

Flop: A77r. PBob....???

[crunchy1]

I don't see a TAG showing down less than QQ here after putting in the PF cap. 99% of the time they only call your 3-bet. The times they put in the cap I've yet to see anything other than AA-QQ. I just don't see Villian making the cap PF with <= TT or an AK/AQ hand.

If you do then I think you can justify a call down but it's tough! I'm not sure you can justify betting at any point in the hand because if you do you're likely doing so with the intention of folding to a raise. What I wouldn't want to do is bet and fold. I think you need to decide on the flop whether you're going to showdown or not and then commit to your decision by check/calling down or check/folding the flop (which btw - I lead towards the check/fold on the flop w/o a more specific "non-stat" read).

I don't think I can bring myself to put any more bets into this hand than I absolutely have to.

[darker_days]

Given that he is a TAG i think that A pretty much wipes out any hands you were ahead of pf that he would cap with, although if he isnt a tricky TAG im tempted to check raise the flop and fold the turn UI to a 3-bet. (But that could also explain why im still at 2/4 - lol)

[Wada]

Do you think he would cap preflop with a hand like KQs or even 99? I think I would check call him down, your either way ahead or way behind.

[chief444]

That flop does sort of suck, since the A does make it unlikely he's holding any no-pair hand at this point. I do think the range of capping hands for a solid player includes more than the others are saying though. I normally cap in this situation with 88-TT, AJ, maybe ATs...depending of course on the opponent. Basically I just like a cap here with a wide range in a heads up blind battle to give me a chance to force the opponent to make a mistake. This hand is a good example.

That being said, I have serious doubts as to whether this hand is worth showing down or not. Sometimes I'll take a stab at it but I can't really argue against giving up early. Even against a wider range of capping hands you're not looking too good. But take this FWIW...this is an area of my game that is still far from solid.

[27offsooot]

I think that i'm leading the flop and folding to a raise/ folding the turn UI if he calls. I can see arguments for c/f though. I would likely be capping 99/1010, possibly KQ against a TAG blind three bet though, so i don't think it's definite that you're behind here, but it's pretty close.

[crunchy1]

[ QUOTE ]
I normally cap in this situation with 88-TT, AJ, maybe ATs...depending of course on the opponent.

[/ QUOTE ]

When I'm stealing with this range against a TAG in the BB and get 3-bet (HU) I feel like I'm either WA/WB or even money. I feel like a TAG would be making this 3-bet with probably any ace or medium/small PP. It seems like 99% of the time I'm in a dominating/dominated situation or we're even money with a pair vs. 2-overcards.

Do you feel this way too? Is capping PF the best way to handle the situation?

[chief444]

TAG's 3-betting range should be pretty big here. And as I said I think the cap makes it more likely you'll force an incorrect flop or turn fold. I'm really not the best one to give advice on heads up play but certainly there's a lot to be said for keeping the initiative and showing strength (especially with a hand that may be best anyway or even money) as a lot of these situations don't go to showdown.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
CO is a TAG. Someting like 17/10/2.

Party 3/6 full.
Folds to CO who raises. Folds to PBob in BB with JJ. I 3-bet. CO caps.

Flop: A77r. PBob....???

[/ QUOTE ]

Results in white below.

<font color="white"> I bet, he raised, I folded. He showed me K5s [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]</font>

[chief444]

Bob,

I think in this situation if you never ever EVER again take the flop line of bet/fold you'll be better off. If I was going to continue I'd probably check/call the flop and reconsider on the turn if he bets again.

Chief