Common marginal situation
 

Ultimate Bet 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (9 handed) internettexasholdem.com

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

Villian is entirely unknown. Bad decision to defend? If so, is it OK w/ATs? AJo?

Flop: (5 SB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets</font>, Hero ...

Does an unknown have me beat here enough to fold? Would a new guy at the table overplay something like KK, or an A-rag suited steal attempt?

Re: Common marginal situation
 

The way it was played, I wouldn't be against a reraise here. It makes him think you've slow played a set. He'll probably slow down.

Just to show his azz, river a 10.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

[ QUOTE ]
Just to show his azz, river a 10.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was my original plan, but somehow I failed to execute. My card-conjuring skills have been way off lately.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

: toxic grunch :

Your question makes me titter slightly.

You have no read. So you sort of ending up asking us what an "unknown" would do. But then half realising that such a description doesn't help us much, you add on "new guy" as if there's the possiblilty we'll go:

"Oh! The NEW guy! Why didn't you say so before? Well, now I know exactly what you should do. Listen..."

Basically you don't know where you are. The hope of you finding the optimum course of action here is somewhat akin to the chances of discovering a pigeon in your loft.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

I'd 3-bet preflop if I wanted to play this. As it came down, you should take a look at this OOP line.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

A read on the CO would really help here. That said, if you're going to play ATo here (and I probably would against an unknown), I'm of the school that you have to three bet. You're holding two big cards, so the more players, the worse your reverse implied odds are. Plus, three betting helps define your hand, gives you initiative going to the flop, and as a result often allows you to avoid the types of sticky situations you ended up in during this hand.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

Against an unknown, I'd call down and expect AJ+ a sizable majority of the time. You check/raised and he treyed you. He doesn't think you have him beat and he's probably right.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

At the micro's I don't think there is as much blind stealing going on as we all think there is. I think it is much more likely that someone is raising a premium hand. Unless I have a read on a player as being overly tight (which leads me to think he knows how to play and how to steal) my default with unknowns is to give them credit for a hand. After the 3-bet on the flop I'm done putting money into this pot ui.

Re: Common marginal situation
 

kerowo, are you saying you would fold to the flop 3-bet? or you would have
called to evaluate the turn? If you call down from the flop 3-bet, it costs you 2.5 BB in order to win 7.....so you're getting 2.8 : 1 to call down...you have top pair, decent kicker......I'm not calling you out here, I'm just asking your opinion......

Re: Common marginal situation
 

Reraise preflop to try to drive out the big blind and get the hand heads up.

Assuming CO calls your pf 3-bet, lead the flop.

This line will hopefully make the hand easier to play.

Against an unknown, I think that you probably want to get to showdown. At least this will give you some kind of read against possible later steals.