Re: I will defend my small blind....what\'s that? 4 bets you say?
 

FWIW, Stox's advocates sometimes 4-betting otb against aggressive sb players with hands like KJs and KTs in order to represent and ace if one flops.

Re: I will defend my small blind....what\'s that? 4 bets you say?
 

Standard 3-bet against a button openraise. AQo obviously is as well. ATo could go either way since this is live - but against a somewhat aggressive player that recognizes position I'd 3 that also.

4-bet range is big aces, pocket pairs, maybe some big suited cards (KQs, ATs, KJs) and a slight chance of some weaker stuff. With a hand like 87s the 4-bet gives him fold equity when the board is something you might not like.

No clue on the flop check - a single pair would probably bet. This check tends to polarize his range to a flopped monster or a marginal drawing hand.

I'd call down to a turn 4-bet ... other than a flush, KJ is the nuts and you don't have that (although you do have a big re-draw if behind and I understand you want to exploit your "freeroll equity")

Re: I will defend my small blind....what\'s that? 4 bets you say?
 

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, Stox's advocates sometimes 4-betting otb against aggressive sb players with hands like KJs and KTs in order to represent and ace if one flops.

[/ QUOTE ]

This opponent, while perhaps not a mouth-breathing idiot, has most decidedly not read Stox's book.

So, time for my thoughts on the hand:

As I said, PF I decided he had TT+ or AK. I just don't see 4 bets without BIG hands in my live game that often.

On the flop when he checked, I was very confused. My first thought was "TT or JJ, 100%", but then realized he might check QQ and possibly something like Ax K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I wasn't sure because if I was him I was betting %100 of my range.

On the turn I bet out hoping to get to 3-bet, since every hand in the range I'd assigned him was behind me. Even if he 4-bet, I was confident he didn't have two clubs or KJ, since I held the A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

On the rive he called my bet and tabled J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and we chopped up the pot. How on earth he doesn't bet JJ on that flop is beyond me...apparently he was a bit of a mouth-breather [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: I will defend my small blind....what\'s that? 4 bets you say?
 

You're right about the mouth breather. Now, right this very second, you should make an offering/sacrifice to Fortuna (see PokerBob's blog) so that the king hits the river next time.