Getting re-raised by Big Blind, then calling him down with just an Ace

King Yao · #1 03-31-2004, 06:59 PM

6 handed 10/20 online
I had not played against Big Blind much. But for some reason his re-raise just did not feel right, it felt like a forced bluff against an obvious blind stealer. I was right at the end, was I lucky?

Preflop: Hero is Button with 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP folds, CO folds, Hero raises, SB folds, BB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.25 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

River: (6.25 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 8.25 BB

Results in white below: 
BB shows Kd 6s (high card, ace).
Hero shows 3s Ad (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins 8.25 BB.

stripsqueez · #2 03-31-2004, 07:30 PM

you had a pair of aces but i accept that having paid the turn you were going all the way

feel is worth a lot and although its much harder on-line its still possible to feel your way around hands like this

heads up anything is posible - thats what makes the BB's 3 bet not as crazy as it seems - the flop and turn are sufficently scattered to form the view that you are still in front of a steal 3 bet - if you want serious analysis though you should include a history of past blind battles because that context is much more important than the cards

good to see that you open raise on the button with A3o - i assume you do it with A2o as well ? - i open raise A2o on the button every time as a living tribute to all the comrades that have fallen in this battle without firing a shot

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

King Yao · #3 03-31-2004, 07:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
good to see that you open raise on the button with A3o - i assume you do it with A2o as well ? - i open raise A2o on the button every time as a living tribute to all the comrades that have fallen in this battle without firing a shot

[/ QUOTE ]

any Ace on the button is a mandatory raise from my viewpoint

stripsqueez · #4 03-31-2004, 08:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
any Ace on the button is a mandatory raise from my viewpoint

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm excited

you are the second member of the "i open raise A2o on the button everytime" club - i've called for membership twice before but so far its been a lonely experience

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

Schneids · #5 03-31-2004, 08:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
any Ace on the button is a mandatory raise from my viewpoint

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm excited

you are the second member of the "i open raise A2o on the button everytime" club - i've called for membership twice before but so far its been a lonely experience

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[/ QUOTE ]

Whoops. I must have missed this call to arms. I am also a member.

stripsqueez · #6 03-31-2004, 08:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Whoops. I must have missed this call to arms. I am also a member

[/ QUOTE ]

this is a serious club schneids - dont play with me if you occasionally get A2o folded to you on the button and limp knowing that the BB always plays - the members of this club dont care what the blinds do - we get A2o folded to us on the button and we rejoice as we press the raise button - this is the line in the sand - if those fcukers are going to come to our gun fight with butter knives bring it on

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

King Yao · #7 03-31-2004, 08:35 PM

were there any replies that say they would not raise everytime? is so, what were their replies.

stripsqueez · #8 03-31-2004, 08:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
were there any replies that say they would not raise everytime? is so, what were their replies

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm horrified to say that there were several - if i wasnt computer illiterate i would find the post and include a link - it was mid to late december last year - that big namby pamby soda was leading the charge for the sooks

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

Nate tha' Great · #9 03-31-2004, 09:17 PM

I suspect calling down is probably -EV against a "typical" opponent, though not by all that much. The Q on the board worries me a bit, and I'm a bit afraid of being outkicked by a higher Ace-high hand, since many BB's will bet those very aggressively against a perceived steal.

But as with anything else, the play is opponent-dependant, and sometimes you can just *sense* when you've been stealing just enough that the BB is about ready to snap.

King Yao · #10 03-31-2004, 09:37 PM

I think this type of move needs to be done once in a while. It needs to be done against the type of opponent who can try to re-steal with a raise on the big blind. But it should not be done all the time. Basically you need to show down some crappy hands once in a while just to show you can not be pushed off of a hand, even a no-pair ace high hand. This way, they may try to run you over slightly less, and make life less difficult for yourself in future hands.

Given this hand in isolation, I think its a loser. Add in some history, and it may help reduce that player from trying to run over you in the future, as well as other players if they are watching the hand carefully (although that probably works better in a live game, on the internet, who knows who is paying attention). Net total, I think its a push.