A strange hand... blind defense at 15/30

[mscags]

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Well, I called the turn feeling that I had shown so little strength that a weaker pocket pair may well bet hoping to push me off a gutshot draw, etc. Once I call the turn though, I feel I've made it clear that I'm either going to call the river, or perhaps have a gutshot draw.

When the river is a ten, my opponent should easily see that bluffing is futile. If he's thinking at all, he should realize that I now have at least a pair and am probably going to call. In fact, if I watched this hand and didn't know my cards, I'd expect me to call too!

I figured weaker pairs would probably check behind on the river. Would you really value bet JJ again? 66? Would you bet JT having rivered a little something to showdown? It just seemed much more likely that a bet would come from an A, a Q, or a total bluff. With an AQQT board, total bluff seemed unlikely, so I checked and folded.

It's not too often you play KK, don't ever raise, and don't showdown HU! It's possible I folded the winner, but no one seems to upset about this line so I guess it at least reasonably close.

Thanks for the comments.
-Eric


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I think you made the right decision on the river there. There isn't much that you are beating besides a total bluff and if villian is even somewhat reasonable I don't see that a high enough percentage of the time.

[limon]

i 3 bet any time i think my hand is on average better than the steal raisers. i check raise any flop that doesnt look like it hit me (babies), whether it did or not. i bet out at any flop that looks like it hit me (a or k hi) cause the check is just too suspicious and youll give alot of free cards to hands that would have folded.

i find this line makes my hand play easy. if you play my way you probably get to fold on the flop to a raise in this instance (cause you 3 bet and bet out on the a hi flop) or get a small pp to call you down and never take controll.

[elindauer]

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i 3 bet any time i think my hand is on average better than the steal raisers.

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Yes, this is pretty common, but to play this well, you'll need to 3-bet a lot more than just the premium hands. What are your 3-betting standards vs an unknown?

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i check raise any flop that doesnt look like it hit me (babies), whether it did or not. i bet out at any flop that looks like it hit me (a or k hi) cause the check is just too suspicious and youll give alot of free cards to hands that would have folded.

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So you check-raise baby flops with KQs?

It's an interesting way to play, I think it has merit, but requires you to handle lots of mediocre hands in rapidly growing pots out of position. That's tough.

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i find this line makes my hand play easy. if you play my way you probably get to fold on the flop to a raise in this instance (cause you 3 bet and bet out on the a hi flop) or get a small pp to call you down and never take controll.

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I don't but much stock in this argument, particularly since

Are you really just going to give up every time somebody raises an ace-high flop and you don't have an ace? ouch. autobetting an ace-high flop with KK doesn't make much sense to me either.

-eric

[soooted]

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CO open raises. I call in the big blind with KK. I expect this player to bet the flop every time, so I like check-raising with big hands, which puts me in the same position (flop, 4SB in, his turn to act) but holding a hand that is much better concealed.


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But if you 3-bet him, he may put you on blind defense and 4-bet pre-flop. If he has QQ/JJ/AK/AQ/AJ and hits top pair (no Ace) on the flop you'll cap the flop and might even get a raise in on the turn.

[soooted]

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Also, you aren't nearly as sure that you'll get that flop bet after you 3-bet preflop. If you call and check, most players bet every time, no matter what the flop or what they hold. So you virtually always get 4 SB in by the end of the flop. If you 3-bet and check, I'd guess you get a lot more check behinds then you do if you call and check.


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If you 3-bet and bet the flop, you'll get more $ in the pot, with the possibility of opponent raising you on flop if he hits his TP.

At the end of the flop, you're in the exact same position as with the check raise, having shown strength, but with the advantage that opponent may put you on two overcards or medium pockets in a blind defense.