Ahead or not ahead, is that a question?

[Chipspin]

Interesting online 10/20 game. No reliable reads except that Button is a super agressor -- he 3-bet the flop OOP A-high once before. I mean this guy just doesn't stop, and it's something I'm just starting to get used to in the online 10/20 world. BB has been pretty useless so far, doesn't seem to be very good at dealing with agression.

Hero is in the CO with 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].

Pre-flop:
All fold to Hero who raises, Button 3-bets, one fold, BB calls two, and Hero calls.

Flop: 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
BB checks, Hero checks, Button bets, BB calls, Hero raises, Button 3-bets, BB folds, Hero calls.

Turn: 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

River: Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

I feel like such a calling station here, but against this maniacal guy, I don't know what else to do.

I understand that my flop c/r is probably worse than just betting out to remove the BB, but I was trying to let the button know that I flopped a boat.

Any thoughts? Do you fold the flop here?

[SixForty]

Agaisnt a guy like this, I get the impression that he's 3betting preflop with a lot of non-paired hands, and if he has any good A on this flop, he's going to push it to showdown.

I'd hope to get it heads up with him, then call him down. I think I'd lead that flop, because it sounds like he is the type to raise with a worse hand often enough. Let's knock out the BB, then go into calldown mode.

[sharpie]

I'd muck this PF with the reads.

I like donking the flop. Gotta call the river, he could be value betting ace king or something.

[lerxst337]

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting online 10/20 game. No reliable reads except that Button is a super agressor -- he 3-bet the flop OOP A-high once before. I mean this guy just doesn't stop,...

[/ QUOTE ]

If this is an accurate read, sure, there's enough overlay. The fact that he could be trying to force out the third player makes me lean even more to calling. Horray Variance!

[n.s.]

I'd muck this PF. You are basically a coinflip at best with any other hand, and guys like this generally don't like laying down anything to what looks like a steal raise. I generally don't like stealing with tiny PPs unless there's a good chance that you can take it down without a flop, or your opponent(s) will lay it down if they miss the flop. With this guy, neither seems likely.

I agree that you should bet the flop and hope to force out BB. After that, I'd just call it down like you did.

[SixForty]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd muck this PF. You are basically a coinflip at best with any other hand, and guys like this generally don't like laying down anything to what looks like a steal raise. I generally don't like stealing with tiny PPs unless there's a good chance that you can take it down without a flop, or your opponent(s) will lay it down if they miss the flop. With this guy, neither seems likely.


[/ QUOTE ]

I love stealing with pocket pairs when someone behind me likes to go nuts with A high. I can check call him down and win unimproved a fair bit. If I do improve, I'm able to make a lot of bets off him.

[JJNJustin]

Dont try to steal the blinds with a pair under 88.
-J

[Hobbs.]

[ QUOTE ]
Dont try to steal the blinds with a pair under 88.
-J

[/ QUOTE ]
[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Dhani]

You know more than I, but if you feel that you have him, beat your turn raise was correct and got rid of BB that probably has you beat. With the amount of money in the potand your read I think the river is correct.

[JJNJustin]

Eventhough most poker books recommend going against the blinds with any decent or even marginal hand, I find that nowadays people are defending their blind more vigorously and unless you have the button, aggressive players will be quick to 3-bet you and the blinds will be more apt to play back at you.

Stealing the blinds is only profitable if there is a decent chance the blinds will both fold. Most players nowadays will play back at you almost 90% of time, because they resent your blind steal attempt and are aware that you may not have much of a hand.

Stealing the blinds becomes volatile, as you are gambling 2 bets to win 1.5, and when it backfires you lose many bets.

So a general rule I have is that I wont go after the blinds with any pocket pair under 88. That way I am usually still favored to have the best hand and can expect to win some of the time without improvement. With a small pair like 22, you are making someone who defends out of the blind with a hand like K5 essentially correct to do so. Small pairs are very hard to play on the flop unless they improve, and they wont be improving often enough. If you are automatically calling down all the way to the river you will end up losing. The hand you posted is a perfect example of this.

So, as a rule, if I go after the blinds, I prefer to at least have 88. The tighter they play and the more apt they are to fold, the more I will open up.

As a general rule,in a fairly aggressive game, I almost never open the pot with a marginal hand. Period.

-j