Blind defense A9o

[brettbrettr]

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Donking that flop will sometimes work out, but I think you end up spewing too much of the time. Just because SB checked the flop to the raiser doesn't mean he did not catch a piece of the flop. And sometimes CO will play back at you just for giggles.

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In a lot of cases, the presence of the sb prevents the CO from raising with a worse hand here. SB might c/r, sure. But they both might also fold, and you might win this pot with the non-best hand. That is good poker.

(Yes, I'd rather have more of a read to justify betting this flop. I'd just like to say that it is an option.)

[W. Deranged]

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Does anyone like a flop bet here?

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The only way I like a flop bet here is if I thought my hand was clearly the best hand going into the hand, since I didn't improve at all an I'm not folding better hands with a lowly flop bet.

If I thought that we true, I would have three-bet pre-flop.

Since I didn't three-bet pre-flop, I'm not betting the flop.

This logic is all [censored] up, fo' sure, but my point is simply that it really doesn't make sense to bet this flop with an unimproved hand that wasn't good enough to three-bet pre-flop. If we didn't have an equity edge pre-flop, we don't have one now, and just starting to try a drive bluff here will get expensive and the pot is really not that big.

The turn bet is good though.

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Eh, I sort of disagree. Not completely, but I think there's a good chance we have the best hand pre-flop, and if sb folded I'd be more inclined to 3-bet. Again, I'm not bloating the pot OOP with what might be the best hand.

I sort of do like a flop bet here, and I sort of like it a lot because of the presence of the sb. If BB was playing a hand like 66 or AT, he now has an excuse to fold because:

1. The pot isn't all that big.
2. Because of the sb, he doesn't have to play "sheriff."

I make this bet fairly often and (I think) I have success with it. The point being that in a 3 way pot he can't call with a lot of hands that he would HU.

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This is a really interesting idea, Brett. Great post.

(For others: Brett mentioned that this concept is one that is applied by expert players in NL tournaments.)

[ErrantNight]

if called is this the last bet you put in? this pot seems pretty small...

[brettbrettr]

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if called is this the last bet you put in? this pot seems pretty small...

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Yes, most of the time, if called I'm done with it u/i. If called in two spots, I'm obv done.

[TorpedoBreath]

Seems like some good discussion going on post flop here, but has anyone considered folding A9 preflop in this situation to be a strong candidate?