Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

Hey folks,

I was playing some 3/6 kill against some 2+2ers yesterday and had the great satisfaction of making one of those questionable outs clearing raises that works out perfectly and actually did promote my hand to a winner.

Which got me thinking about playing suspect overcards on draw heavy boards and the conditions necessary for making an outs clearing raise with weak overcards.

So I've got some poll questions for y'all. In all of these assume that:

1. SB if a half-thinking but annoying donk who calls down way to much and likes to fold the river a lot.

2. The player immediately to your left (wherever you are) is a solid 2+2er.

Have at it! I recommend everyone vote before reading/posting replies.

Note: #1 is kind of a "warm-up." It's more interesting, though, if the board is only two-tone and you don't have any backdoors.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

These seem very straightforward. #1 and #2 are clear raises given your flush draws and overs. Im surprised to see people saying call with #3. I fold this if the 3-bettor is anything near a decent player.

Edited to add: I just noticed the gutshot here and the fact that this was a 5-handed game. My bad. I'd probably raise the gutshot if I thought I could get the button to fold, otherwise, I call and hope I can get in cheaply.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

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T Im surprised to see people saying call with #3. I fold this if the 3-bettor is anything near a decent player.

Edited to add: I just noticed the gutshot here and the fact that this was a 5-handed game. My bad. I'd probably raise the gutshot if I thought I could get the button to fold, otherwise, I call and hope I can get in cheaply.

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...and so the subtlety emerges...

#1 and #2 are obvious raises in my opinion. I'm surprised how many votes for calls there are for #2. I'd like to see an argument there.

#3 is the interesting one, largely because I think it is very game/player dependent. This is the one I'm really interested in with the poll.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

I really would like to here some analyses on hand #2 and #3. Fair amount of divergence of opinion...

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

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I really would like to here some analyses on hand #2 and #3. Fair amount of divergence of opinion...

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Well, I just went back and re-read it and when I voted I missed your description of player #2. I suppose we're raising here expecting him to fold to agression on the river and folding if he comes back at us (if we don't improve).

Against an unknown I think I'm just calling here and folding the turn UI. Is that too weak?

EDIT: I missed the gutshot in #3 too... jeez I'm out of it today. I'm not folding in #3 with the gutshot + overs.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

1 = easy raise, just on value.

2 = close between a call and a raise. If you think you can buy the button and get a free turn card, it's a raise, otherwise it's a call.

3 = close between a call and a fold. You don't have much of a hand and can't really expect to win unimproved even if you fold out the button. However you have at least 3 solid outs and are getting 10-1 to continue.

In general, I'm not a big fan of buying outs in a 3-handed pot. You are not going to fold out sb so you're putting in an extra bet in a smallish pot to try to buy two cards from the button. In, say, a 5-way pot, your raise has more value because it can fold out more hands and the bigger pot gives you a better multiplier on your extra bet.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

I was a bit torn on hand one because I am confident MP2 will reraise. However, you will likely clear out donk, so call two bets there is no big deal. Definite raise.

Hand two, I am assuming that small blind leading the flop?

Hand three looks like an easy lay down to me.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

1) I am calling. He basicly called 3 cold in SB, I think he flops a set, maybe has pocket 9's with [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], I don't think you win this hand with out improving.

2) Raise, If 2+2er has big pocket pair or AK-AQ [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]you will know. SB is betting his pair with a draw every time being the annoying Donk that he is.

3) I fold, If button has a hand your got a knife in a gun fight. I would just move on, I don't think it pays for the times the button has a real hand and I think the blind is not going anywhere, don't think he is bluffing into that strength. again he called 3 bets preflop.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

I don't think you can raise #3 though. The button will be getting 5 to 1 to call and would be correct to call with many of the hands he would 3-bet. Too many draws for me to fold though. Hand #3 is a tougher spot for sure.

Re: Weak Overcard Outs-Clearing
 

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Hand three looks like an easy lay down to me.

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This true without the gutshot and backdoor. But on a discounted basis, you've got 3-4 outs to the gutshot, say 2-3 outs to make TPWK, and a backdoor flush draw to the third nut flush which is probably worth 1 out. So you're probably looking at 6-8, which makes it easy to play on. So the only real question in my mind is whether to raise or call, and this depends on opponents. If you can fold the 3-bettor, its a clear raise, because you can buy the button and wont get pushed off hands as easily. If he's going to reraise the flop, then its more of a pickle, b/c you're potentially going to get jammed between the SB and the button. Obviously, folding hands like AQ and KQs are great for you, so there's also some value to raising to clean up outs.