Blind defense.

BigEndian · #1 09-29-2005, 11:04 AM

A lot about blind defense is based on history with a specific player and reads. Unfortunately, I'm fairly new to this table and this is the first chance this player has had to steal my blind. The player in the BB seems tightish, nothing has stood out about him in the two orbits I've seen.

Preflop: BigEndian is SB with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
7 folds, Button raises, BigEndian calls, BB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
BigEndian...

Would you consider leading out on the betting? Would you CR the scary Ace here? Do you fold this flop? Do you fold PF?

- Jim

brettbrettr · #2 09-29-2005, 11:19 AM

I would fold or raise pre-flop. Prob fold w/o reads here.

I think I might just bet the flop. Its hard to say but when a SB flat calls a button open steal, and I'm the button, I give him mucho credit. Again, dunno about thios button though.

Argus · #3 09-29-2005, 11:19 AM

3-bet or fold preflop. There are only very specific situations where I would call from the SB, and absent one of those reasons I never call. It is imperative to keep the BB out. Jason Pohl wrote a series of articles on short-handed play and he gave a convincing mathematical argument that 3-betting to keep the BB out is always worth it with a hand you are going to play from the SB.

Personally I fold this PF against an unknown, but it's close to my defense range (and I would certainly play it from the BB). Now just check/and fold the flop. You're in a 3-way pot with just a high card; you might have the best hand, but if you do both villains have a likely 6 outs against you. If you don't have the best hand you could be drawing very slim indeed. The pot isn't that big: give up.

@bsolute_luck · #4 09-29-2005, 11:28 AM

what stakes are these?

i think my concern since we didn't eliminate BB preflop is he could have an Ace or better draw than us and c/r here and we're stuck in the middle. if we bet out and BB raises, we could be in a world of hurt too based on your "tightish" read.

FWIW though i think C/r is the worst idea again because of that 3rd person. if he cold calls, we haven't helped ourselves out any. so we're left with 3 lines (IMO):

check/call, check/fold, bet/???. BB messes everything up, but if i'm button a check/call looks worse if i don't have an Ace than c/r (too ABC-poker??) so i'll say this:

check/fold > check/call > bet

crunchy1 · #5 09-29-2005, 11:28 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm fairly new to this table and this is the first chance this player has had to steal my blind. The player in the BB seems tightish, nothing has stood out about him in the two orbits I've seen.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think if you're going to defend here and the BB is tight then you should be 3-betting. You're going to be much better off HU. In that case I'd also be leading every flop (assuming that Button didn't cap PF).

In your case I think I'd be check/folding here. I can understand leading this flop but, that's the last bet I'd put in.

BigEndian · #6 09-29-2005, 11:30 AM

I thought about 3-betting here and I understand the arguments for it. I didn't because I feel that 3-betting can sound the gun to turn a hand into a peen-waving competition. Since I had just arrived to the table, I felt I didn't have enough info on my opponent to get into a big tustle but I had a good enough hand to see a flop with.

- Jim

@bsolute_luck · #7 09-29-2005, 11:31 AM

[ QUOTE ]
into a peen-waving competition.

[/ QUOTE ] this is just great [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

BigEndian · #8 09-29-2005, 11:32 AM

The pot isn't that big: give up.

As you get higher in stakes, this is a decent sized pot. You can't camp out and wait for the juicy 10SB pots.

- Jim

BigEndian · #9 09-29-2005, 11:38 AM

I think I would turn it around a little:

Bet/???, check/fold, check/raise, check/call.

Betting here puts a lot of pressure on your opponents if they don't have an ace or a good draw. I'm also folding to any raise so I know my costs up front. 6/1 good enough odds to lead out?

I think check/folding is also fine here if you would want to wait for a better spot with more info on your opponents.

Everything else I think is a waste of chips but check calling being by far the worst.

EDIT: This is a 10/20 table, but I don't think it matters other than the blinds are 1/2.

- Jim

brettbrettr · #10 09-29-2005, 11:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I thought about 3-betting here and I understand the arguments for it. I didn't because I feel that 3-betting can sound the gun to turn a hand into a peen-waving competition. Since I had just arrived to the table, I felt I didn't have enough info on my opponent to get into a big tustle but I had a good enough hand to see a flop with.

- Jim

[/ QUOTE ]

3-betting has very little to do with the button and mucho to do with the BB.