Battle of the blinds with JTo

SCfuji · #1 02-09-2005, 11:16 PM

I have a few weaknesses that I would like to focus on eliminating from the 6 max games(I have more, but I want to tackle them one or two at a time). The first is when everybody folds to me in the small blind and I have a decent holding as I did in this hand:

BB has a VPIP of 40 and PFR of 0.xx after 50 or so hands. His Flop Aggr is 0.80, Turn Aggr is 1.00, and River Aggr is 2.30.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
4 folds, Hero completes, BB checks.

Question #1: Raise Preflop?

Flop: (2 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Hero 3-bets, BB caps, Hero calls.

Question 2: With this villain's flop aggression was I wrong to cap this on the flop? Should I have waited for the big bet street to unearth the 'strength' of my hand?

Turn: (5 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, Hero caps, BB calls.

Question #3: Alright! I have top 2-pair. I am ahead of most hands that the villain could have been raising with on the flop.

River: (13 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, BB raises $4 (All-In), Hero calls.

Question 4: This river card somewhat sucks, but I still felt like I had the best and a bet is in order and I am definitely not folding to his all-in raise.

Final Pot: 17 BB

Notes: I basically thought this chum was spewing chips on the turn as his stack was dwindling down to the felt, so I thought I would tag along for the ride. I'm sure people will have different actions to suggest on different streets and I would appreciate any insight.

Thanks,
Fuji

berz · #2 02-09-2005, 11:56 PM

You absolutely must value raise this preflop. Other than that, with opponent getting allin, I think you played it fine and expect you took it down.

SCfuji · #3 02-10-2005, 12:16 AM

if i whiff the flop am i done with the hand or is it an auto-bet (i 'raised' pf in this scenario)?

pfkaok · #4 02-10-2005, 01:00 AM

[ QUOTE ]
if i whiff the flop am i done with the hand or is it an auto-bet (i 'raised' pf in this scenario)?

[/ QUOTE ]

i like raising this PF too... and i can't think of many spots where i'll check/fold on flop. almost always at least need to take stab IMO

SCfuji · #5 02-10-2005, 01:25 AM

should i be mixing up 'stabs' with check raises when i whiff or is that just wasteful use of my money.

Joe826 · #6 02-10-2005, 01:55 AM

the single biggest raise you're raising preflop with a hand like JTo is for fold equity. your raise has little, if any "value" to it. this means when raising this hand preflop you *must* lead the flop, otherwise you're giving up alot of your fold equity, which was the point of raising preflop to begin with.

pfkaok · #7 02-10-2005, 02:03 AM

[ QUOTE ]
the single biggest raise you're raising preflop with a hand like JTo is for fold equity. your raise has little, if any "value" to it. this means when raising this hand preflop you *must* lead the flop, otherwise you're giving up alot of your fold equity, which was the point of raising preflop to begin with.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed, particularly postflop if you whiff, Jhigh has almost NO value. CR usually doesn't work too well in this spot, b/c people usually get suspicious when you raise PF, then check, so a lot of times they'll check behind, unless they have a hand strong enough to stand a CR.

SCfuji · #8 02-10-2005, 02:36 AM

am i giving up much if i pass on this situation? i obviously want to extract as much as i can every chance i get, but is this so marginal that its okay if i fork over my 50cents?

pfkaok · #9 02-10-2005, 03:11 AM

JTo is better than random hand...you should certainly lose less than .5 SB on average if you play it here. i'd say J7o or so you could start making the case that you won't lose much by folding if BB is decent.

cnfuzzd · #10 02-10-2005, 05:06 AM

as promised....

Question 1: Must raise this preflop. You have a hand that is much better than average, you can make better choices post-flop than your opponent, and the ratio of blinds paid to hands seen dictates a much wider range of viable steal-hands.

Question 2: Given that you didnt raise pf, i think its safe to assume that your opponent is probably not giving you much credit. However he is still being awfully aggressive, so while i dont think its bad to 3bet the flop, when he caps remember that he is telling you something.

Question 3: I dont think i would ever play this any differently.

Question 4: Bad card, but he could still be holding lots of hands you beat. I agree with your play here. He have a set? Im not willing to put him on AJ, but that seems also somewhat likely.

Speaking of set, this is where a pf raise would have helped you out. Even the most passive player will occasionally jam top pair against an opponent who hasnt shown strength in the hand, especially if youve been taking his money. Usually though, if they start showing this same aggression in the face of action from you, i think it makes it much easier to intrepret what they are doing.

peace

john nickle