Defending my Blind

[SpiderMnkE]

Party 2/4

I am in the sb with AQo. It's folded to the button who raises. I call.

Flop: 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I check. Button Bets. I call

Turn: 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I check. Button Bets. I Raise. Button Calls.

River: Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I bet. Button calls

[Brian]

Hi SpiderMnkE,

I think it is very important to be re-raising pre-Flop in these sorts of situations. As HPFAP says, if this were the only hand of Hold'em you played for the rest of your life, then just calling and trapping him later would probably be best. But, it is not, and you need the Button to know that he is not going to be able to risk 4 dollars to win 3 dollars every time he raises.

That being said, you obviously played the later streets correctly.

Actually, I just noticed that you were in the SB and not the BB. I just assumed you were in the BB because you flat-called. This is a definite re-raise 100% of the time. Get that BB out, don't let him have juicy odds to call.

-Brian

[SpiderMnkE]

Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

[Bob T.]

Because you are in the SB, I think that you need to reraise here. You are most likely ahead, and you would probably rather have the BB donate his blind rather than see the flop for one small bet. Given that you called the flop, checkraising the turn, was a good option. It might also get you a free card later on, if you play another headsup hand against the same player. But at the same time, if you likely outflop your opponent next time, you might want to checkraise the flop, so he doesn't check behind you.

Good luck,
play well,

Bob T.