[Albert Moulton]

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mehhhhhhh to this preflop action, but thats your business


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Preflop is uber-standard

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Well, raising preflop is better than calling. But in the live games I play, folding would be better than raising. This isn't that game, though.

OP has a suited semi connector OOP facing an LP raise that could be almost any two playable cards. That means he's out of position in a raised pot with what is probably the worst hand. His hand is unlikely to improve. So, if he plays, then his plan is to take the initiative with a reraise, then bet the pot regardless of the flop, then keep betting the pot (or so) on every street until villain folds or villain makes a big raise (in which case 9-high can fold unless it's miraculously improved to a straight or flush). So show down value doesn't matter much as long as villain doesn't raise post-flop. The committment point is the turn. After that turn bet, which ideally would be sized to leave a pot-sized bet for a final bluff on the river, there is just too much money in the pot to change the plan at the river. And with hero's pair of sevens with 9 kicker, the only way to win is to bet. He planned to go full 4 barrels right from the preflop reraise, and this river is the best possible card for hero since most hands that don't have a K in them will often fold to a big river bet - maybe even two pairs and sets. That means that the only option that makes sense is to push the river.

Actually, regarding hero being OOP post flop, given that his plan was to reraise/bet/bet/bet regardless of board as long as villain stays passive, it is probably preferrable to be OOP because hero gets first shot at every street to fold out villain with increasing barrel sizes. The only defense for villain is to go bigger preflop (in which case hero folds unless he really has a big hand), or flop a big hand (unlikely), raise post flop (allowing hero to fold unless he actually has a big hand), or call down fairly light for his entire stack (tough to do). All villain's options are difficult unless he flops a that unlikely monster hand and chooses to slow play it.

But I'd fold preflop. I play a lot live at 5/5 and there are plenty of calling stations where this line would be known as "the ATM shuffle."

But like I said, this isn't that game. I suppose short-handed, on-line with a bunch of aggro regulars, I can see where you need to be able to do this or get run over by the other guys doing the same.