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

Live 6/12 game that has been super loose passive. Then Crazy Russian Guy (one of my favorite players) busts out of the seat on my right and villain sits down. He's played 2 orbits, I haven't seen him raise preflop or show down. He's limped in just twice. He is 30ish and Asian. BB is very passive and loose: He will defend for one bet with ATC I think.

Folds to the button (!!!) and Villain raises. I hold A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and 3-bet from the SB. BB folds, and button 4 bets. I call.

~8 small bets, heads up

89Q (two clubs, one spade)

I check, planning to call a bet. Villain checks. If he's looking at me he knows his check has confuzzled me greatly.

89QT (now three clubs, one spade)

I have made gin. I bet, he raises, I 3-bet, he calls

89QTX (X is a non club below 7)

I bet....

Specific questions I have for the forum:

1. Is this a 3-bet pf against an apparent "not-idiot"? If so, what about ATo, and if not, what about AQo?

2. When he 4-bets me pf, what range do you put him on? TT+ and AKs seems the tightest I could go. What do you guys think about AKo, 99,88 and AQ?

3. After he checks the flop, what range do you put him on?

4. On the turn, suppose he had 4 bet me. I make it 5, right?

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

1. this is fine. In the game you described agains the opponent you described I'd prolly muck ATo though

2. I don't think most live passivish player cap TT here. I'd say his range is likely AK, JJ+

3. like QQ exactly

4. Yes. It looks like you are freerolling or winning if the fourbets.

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

1. I'm a bit of a nit pf here. I just call with AJo and AQo, and fold ATo.

2. My normal 4 betting range against a good player in a multiway pot would be QQ+ and AKs. Since the pot is heads up at this point, I would include TT+, maybe 99+. Very few live players are this tight. I would suspect a wider range.

3. Given the tendency of live players to slow play flopped sets, I'm not sure the check narrows his range much at all.

4. I would not 5 bet on the turn. That is a pretty scary board. If he 4 bets on that board, I'm figuring he has the flush or a straight, and at best we are chopping, but I suffer from MUB.

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

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4. I would not 5 bet on the turn. That is a pretty scary board. If he 4 bets on that board, I'm figuring he has the flush or a straight, and at best we are chopping, but I suffer from MUB.

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What flush can he possibly have that 4-bet pf? I hold the A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

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

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What flush can he possibly have that 4-bet pf? I hold the A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

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If he is a by the book TAG, he should not hold anything that would make a flush, but I know I have a wider 4 bet range pf when it gets HU, and I suspect most other reasonable players do too. There are pf raising hands like KcQc or KcJc that he might 4 bet here because it was HU.

Was the Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] on the board? Your post doesn't make that clear. If the Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] is on the board and you hold the A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], then the flush seems less likely, but some people are very aggressive with suited broadway or high connectors from late position.

Would be very aggressive for someone to 4 bet a set of Qs or Ts on that board, but people have done crazier things.

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

I don't remember which card was the spade for sure, unfortunately. Let's suppose the Q was in fact the spade...I suppose he could hold K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], or maybe even K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] But I think both of those are well outside four bet range, and definitely not checking the flop.

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

nh. pre is a 3bet as we prefer to play this HU. turn is an easy 3bet also, he has QQ/99/TT almost always; no other hands fit his line. bet any river that doesn't pair the board.

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

Pf is an easy 3-bet from the SB. You don't want the BB playing.

Many players have a wide 4-betting range when they are IP. I wouldn't rule out AQ,KQ, or even less. He will almost always get checked to on the flop and can opt to take a free one, as he did. When he checks the flop and then r/c turn, I think he may have TT but anyone that 4-bets pf and then checks the flop can have almost anything here.

To make it five bets on the turn I think you would have to assume Villain to be terrible. He can see a four card st8 and three clubs on the board. For him to 4-bet, he has at least a Jack and may have an unlikely King to go with it, he has an unlikely flush, or he is FOS and will just fold.

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

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I'm tempted to give the results, but would like to hear from a few more people before doing so.

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

i think he has QQ or JJ alot.

pf is standard.

we don't have enough to go on pf. in that case i woudl default his range to JJ+, AKs.

QQ, JJ, AK. mainly a monster, missed overs, an underpair like JJ.