3 betting VS calling out of the SB

[Steve Giufre]

You have A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in a six handed 15-30 party game. The button is an aggresive player who has been raising a few more hands than he should. The BB is fairly tight, and will only come in with his better hands for the extra bet.

3 bet or call? I'm starting to think the hand might play better smooth calling, even though I expect almost all of you like a 3 bet.

[skp]

For many reasons that I have posted about before, I think that smoothcalling is the better play out of the bb when the sb has already folded.

From the sb, I believe that 3 betting is the better play (in order to get the bb out). But if the bb is tight and is expected to fold, then smoothcalling becomes a viable option.

But the bb has to be pretty damn tight, no?

[Turning Stone Pro]

Steve:

I like three betting here. You are simply significantly ahead of most of the hands the button is holding.

I tried to think of some complicated scenarios for why you wouldnt want to give up "control" of the pot and so on and so forth. In other words, if you only smooth-call and dont flop anything, now what do you do . . .

I think in this situation, its the simple matter of "I have the best hand", I'm going to make sure I get as much money in as I can, and try to make sure it's a heads-up situation."

I may be oversimplifying, but, as you know, I have a habit of doing this.

TSP

[Ulysses]

I think this simple rationale is pretty much correct. 3-bet.

[Steve Giufre]

The reason I posted this is because I think I am taking a few of these hands too far post flop after I three bet them. I usually pretty much auto bet the flop when HU out of position like this , but a lot of the times, depending on the board and the player, I should be slowing down and checking the turn instead of continuing to fire. Some of my opponents, have been adjusting to this, and are just calling me down and betting when checked to. Because of this, I've been smooth calling a bit more before the flop to try to avoid spewing a bunch of chips all over the place when I've missed the flop.

However, I guess it is hard to argue with a 3 bet from the SB with a hand such as AJ when the button has raised.

[Ulysses]

This is really the same problem a lot of people have w/ AQ/AK/JJ etc. The answer is not to stop raising those hands pre-flop, it's to not spew chips post-flop just because you raised pre-flop. Same general thing applies here. Since you're aware of it, should be pretty easy to fix.

[obi---one]

Steve,
didn't read the other posts but I think you have to vary your play. first of all, you will always make more money when you hit your hand if you just call. Of course, you might allow the big blind to beat you in a hand he would otherwise not be in. I like to smooth call out of the blinds whenever it is folded to me. including the big pairs. that way i get a lot more action after the flop, and i will be able to bluff better after I show done a monster or two. But, if some guy is constantly raising my blinds i will three bet him whenever i think i am in the lead. And, A move that i don't see a lot of people doing is the three bet resteal, if you think he is weak you three bet, and try to resteal from him. A three bet from the blinds is always construed as some monster hand, especially if it came from you. As a test, if you think the player is weak, three bet without looking at your cards. I do and it actually works (sometimes). anywayz, thats my thoughts on the matter. where are you playing nowadays?