88 on Button, BB Gets Feisty...

[pfapfap]

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)

Stack sizes:
UTG: $72.70
UTG+1: $99.60
CO: $49.25
Hero: $47.10
SB: $44.95
BB: $25.35

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is Button with 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif
3 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to $1.5</font>, SB calls, <font color="#cc0000">BB raises to $6</font>, Hero...

What's my course of action here? I'd been in several hands with BB after a standard LP bet like this, almost always taking it down on the flop. I figure I'm either a little ahead or way behind. Push? Wait for a better spot? I can't imagine calling is an option.

[Nick C]

I would probably let it go.

However, FWIW, I think I like calling better than pushing. The odds probably aren't really there, but having SB possibly hanging around for a flop helps a little (plus, a 3-way pot might deter what otherwise would be a BB c-bet with unimproved AK), and from an image standpoint putting a call in does at least suggest that all those standard LP raises you've been making weren't with junk.

Pushing seems kinda spewy to me. It sounds like BB hasn't been doing much (if any) 3-betting, so his range is probably well ahead of your hand, and I doubt you have much folding equity. It seems he's now got the cards he was waiting for to take a stand with.

[XHitman014]

This is enitrely read dependent so it's going to depend on what range you put him on...sounds like you'll be ahead so pushing is probably correct but higher variance. Calling for set value is obviously out of question though.

[pfapfap]

I reraised, he pushed, I called. I should've pushed myself. My 88 &gt; His AQs, but I didn't like how I played it at all.

[Nick C]

[ QUOTE ]
I reraised, he pushed, I called. I should've pushed myself. My 88 &gt; His AQs, but I didn't like how I played it at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, yeah, your 88 &gt; AQ (though not by much), but that's a pretty results-oriented way of looking at it. You were at the table and I wasn't, but if that AQ is at the bottom of his 3-betting range (and there's a good chance it was), then you're still a pretty big underdog to his entire range.

Let's say Villain has a range of AA-77, AK, AQ, AJs.

In that case, you're a huge underdog to 36 combos (AA-99). You're a slight favorite versus 36 combos (the big aces). And you're a big favorite against only 6 combos (77).

I'm not claiming that's Villain's exact range, but it does illustrate how easily you could be in trouble once he 3-bets.