44 blind defense vs. TAG

[Benjamin]

Party Poker 10/20 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed)

Stealer is a TAG, but I assume he steals with a wide range. He has a very high flop aggression factor.

Preflop: Hero is SB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP folds, <font color="CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, BB folds, <font color="CC3333">Button caps</font>, Hero calls.

Figured I wanted it heads up if I was going to play. The cap makes me think he has a good hand, but not necessarily a super premium. Anyone advocate calling or folding?

Flop: (9 SB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button caps</font>, Hero calls.

Nice flop for me, I decided to bet out, expecting him to raise and intending to 3-bet. Too much? The cap has me very concerned I'm behind, but I think overcards are still a reasonable possiblility.

Turn: (8.50 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">Button bets</font>, Hero calls.

Another good card for me. Anyone advocate a more aggressive turn play or a fold?

River: (10.50 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>

River's not too scary ... what would you do if you made it here?

Thanks for any feedback,
B.

[imitation]

If the turn hadn't brought 4 more outs I would have folded.

I would fold the river, unless you have a crazy image or something I can't see what TAG would play this agro with that you beat, if it was overcards I think they would have taken the free card on the turn.

[Benjamin]

[ QUOTE ]
I would fold the river, unless you have a crazy image or something I can't see what TAG would play this agro with that you beat, if it was overcards I think they would have taken the free card on the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]

My image was maybe slightly on the LAG side, but not crazy, I think. He might have had a bit of an impression he could push me around, as I'd folded postflop to him a couple times.

You'd fold the river getting 11:1?

[spider]

My overall thought here is you're putting in 6+ BB with unimproved 44, and that just seems like a lot of bets given how things played out.

By street:

Pre-flop -- Without a read on button's steal range, I'd prefer 66 or 77 here to play. But raise is better than call of course.

Flop -- 3 bet is going too far.

Turn -- So now you have 6 outs, but semi-bluff does not look like a good idea. He really looks to be on TT or JJ at this point. AK is unlikely and isn't going to fold here with pot so big. Check and call.

I think if you hadn't picked up the draw, and the pot wasn't already so big, this might be the place to bet and fold to a raise.

River -- Still unimproved, but you're showing it down and should get plenty of action on later hands.

[Benjamin]

Thanks for the thoughts, yall.

So spider and exist both think defending here is bad, but imitation didn't seem to. Any other opinions on whether this is worth defending with? I had him pegged as a good aggressive player, which in my mind means he'll steal with a broad range mostly made up of overcards, and probably including a few dominated holdings of A2-4, 22 and 33. 44 looks pretty good against that range, but then we have the problem of position and not usually knowing when I'm ahead or behind postflop.

Given I did defend, then the problem with not three betting is that I expect him to raise with any holding. I guess I could check-raise ... in which case I'm not sure I'd expect him to 3-bet with any holding. So maybe checkraise and lead the turn (barring a flop 3-bet ... or even if he 3-bets consdidering I improved on the turn?) as a viable line?

I agree with spider ... if I make it to the river with that board, then I'm showing it down.

B.

[exist]

The problem with 3 betting a TAG raiser preflop here is that he is AGGRESSIVE (and good?) and he has position on you. Post flop he will raise or bet often making it very difficult to play your hand well. You are commiting so much money preflop with a mediocre playing hand and you are likely to lose the most and win the least amount possible post flop. Basically I think this 3 bet preflop is -EV and is even more -EV if he has seen you 3 bet in this situation with similar hands.

[Grisgra]

Well, this is really player-dependent and you obviously have your read . . . but I wouldn't have played it so aggressively pf and on the flop. Between the pf cap and the flop cap -- I mean, yikes, you gotta think you're behind.

Given that you did, though, you obviously have to call the turn with your extra 4 outs. And you obviously HAVE to call the river bet, because there's certainly a 10%+ chance he's being super-aggressive with AK or somesuch.

[Benjamin]

Thanks for the feedback.

TAG checked behind on the river with AK.

B.