Down to three & big stack called my bet

robertsonjohn · #1 09-12-2005, 03:02 AM

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t800 (3 handed)

This was a $6 + .50 2-table tournament. Despite all his chips, BB is not very good, and not very tricky, but a bit loose.
converter

BB (t19155)
Button (t3460)
Hero (t4385)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t1300) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t1600, BB calls t1600.

Turn: (t4500) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero...

BB is not one to call a bet on a bluff, just so he can use his stack to take it away. However, I can see him making this call with any K, any Q, any 3, any pocket pair from 22-99 (he plays passive PF, but doesn't limp monsters, so he could justifiably limp these pairs), JT, or even ace high.

bluefeet · #2 09-12-2005, 10:16 AM

With the blinds this big, you are basically in push/fold mode. Depending on your read on BB, your image, etc...you could push this PF just as easily as fold. Completing isn't horrible, but a decent villian with this many chips is often going to snap off your attempt to see the flop.

Seeing that you did catch a piece, and are only holding 4BB's back, I would just open-push this flop (especially considering he didn't put you in PF).

"Testing the waters" with 4BB's is kind of pointless. With your read, you very will could be behind here. But considering you're pushing almost any hand UTG w/2BB's, I'd gamble here - hope he does in fact have a 3, draw, or maybe a weak Q also.

schwza · #3 09-12-2005, 11:38 AM

the pot size is messed up in the converter. i agree this is push or fold pre-flop, and once you flop a pair, there's no way you should get away.

if you think villain may bluff, check. if you think he'll pay off with 3x, push now.

KramerTM · #4 09-12-2005, 11:45 AM

I don't like calling 1/9 of your stack off to complete the SB and see a flop OOP. Also, if Villain is as ABC as you say, then why bet so much on the flop. If you are winning here, wouldn't a min-bet (OK, maybe a LITTLE more) do the trick?

If Villain is anything but superloose, I push PF here probably. Maybe fold if the I can steal blinds from the other guy.

robertsonjohn · #5 09-12-2005, 02:37 PM

Pot-size may seem off in converter because we were probably anteing at this point.

With this villain, I felt extremely confident that he would check PF unless he had a huge hand, in which case I can easily fold. I'd rather not push Q2s PF with the button so short-stacked, but with a villain who lets you see flops, I didn't want to fold all my blinds either.

BB is 800, so my flop bet is only 2 BB not 4 BB. A mini-bet is just dying to be re-raised - I felt this was the smallest amount I could bet that did not look like an out and out bluff.

With his calling range, I think it's probably 50-50 (maybe 60-40 in his favor), but I doubt I have any folding equity, and with the button short-stacked as well, the question is whether it is better to push knowing you have a good chance of being behind or to check-fold and try to squeak into second.