[naphand]

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I don't think the argument for a preflop cap is compelling. I'm happy either way.

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I feel the same. As the game gets more SH reads become even more important - and I personally consider 4-handed is the where _short-handed_ really starts. This is because you are either trying to steal the blinds or defending them in every hand; there is no UTG any more IMO.

I would estimate at Stars $5/$10 roughly 20% of the players are capable of 3-betting a wide range of hands here, and another 20-30% are capable of 3-betting with less than AA-QQ. But of course, I need to have identified those players.

A lot of the 3-bettors on Stars are terrible post-flop players; as Guy says, why give away our hand and make ourselves first to act on the Flop? I prefer raising the Flop but given the board a raise Turn/check River UI line has a lot of merit too.

I think poster played this hand fine against an unknown, at least from an odds perspective his calls were all correct (I accept the inital PF call is debatable). However, I think a Flop raise is better, and see how SB reacts. A 3-bet on the Flop I call and hope to improve on the Turn. If checked to I will often take the free card - particularly against aggressive players (though we do not have the luxury of knowing this here).

If the game is likely to stay 4-handed a while then always capping PF with big hands, sometimes calling and raising the Flop with just overs/big hands is a good way to keep opponents guessing. Against an unknown I want to get to SD with this hand, which means playing slower on the big streets unimproved.

I just do not see SB calling down with AJo/A9o/KQo enough here to make pumelling all the way the best line. Do we want SB to fold a hand like AJ/KQ? Nor do I see him folding a better hand to our PF and Flop pounding. The Flop texture is very important here against a re-steal, and I am happy for SB to retain the intitative when I have position.