A really cool hand I played
 

Last week I spent a couple days playing some NL600 on pokerstars to try to learn how to play more tables effectively so I could play more at higher stakes. Well, I think I'm just going to stick to four [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

Anyway, I played this really cool hand, and it illustrates a pretty neat concept. I thought I'd show it. So, I'll withhold my decision and thought process until a little later, but you all should post your thoughts and reasoning.

Heres the deal. I have a lag image, and I have been 3betting more than anyone else at the table. The villain, preposterous, plays NL2000 at night it seems, and NL600 or so during the day. He plays really solidly at NL2000, almost nittish, but at NL600 is relatively wild and pretty aggressive, most likely the second most aggressive player at the table at this point behind me. He is on multiple tables with me as well.

Poker Stars - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $3/$6 Blinds - 6 Players - (LegoPoker HH Converter)

SB: $775.90
<font color="black">Hero (BB): $597</font>
UTG: $830
MP: $725.05
CO: $631.20
BTN: $708

<font color="black">Preflop:</font> Hero is dealt 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (6 Players)
<font color="red">UTG raises to $18</font>, 2 folds, BTN calls $18, SB calls $15, <font color="red">Hero raises to $87</font>, UTG calls $69, 2 folds

<font color="black">Flop:</font> ($210) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">Hero bets $136</font>, <font color="red">UTG raises all-in to $743</font>


OK, here's the hint. Pay close attention to the preflop action and also pay close attention to my image. It probably doesn't matter but he called very quickly preflop and shoved the flop equally fast.

Let me know what you guys think. Does hero fold or call, and WHY?

Greg

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

I always call preflop. Why are you squeezing a utg open with a hand that will win you a big pot when you flop a set, especially with a lag image and seeing a flop 4 ways?

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

its unlikely he has QQ-AA, or KA because he would 4bet, but he could still have a hand like QA or TT,JJ,99 thats not strong enough to 4bet but is still beating you on the flop. he could also have a SC or lower PP that missed, though they aren't that many lower PPs that missed. if he's a "smart" player then hes never gonna have like KQ or JQ here but he may be tilting and he is LAG so you cant give him that much credit for folding hands unless you have an incredible read. i dont think this is a good call, because of the reasons i said before and also because most people will decide to make a move given a favorable flop before they see a flop, but in this case he was probably thinking preflop ok ill call with my SC or PP or whatever and when the other 2 guys call it will make my call +EV, but once the other 2 guys folded i dont think he can just instantly decide to turn his hand into a bluff.

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

Given your image, he probably figures your pf 3bet range to be pretty wide here. On the flop I think it's pretty unlikely he has 99-JJ or any hand with a queen (maybe QQ), because he is competent enough to understand that worse hands probably aren't calling and better hands aren't folding to his shove (a Qx hand is actually very unlikely given preflop action). So I think in this hand, he'll either have a set (shoving in hopes that you look him up light), or he'll have AK/77. Another key factor is that he decides to just call your preflop 3bet with 2 coldcallers in the pot. I think that makes it much less likely that he has AA/KK right here - and somewhat more likely that he called with a PP or a suited connector - specifically, a hand that invites an overcall preflop. So I can see why you might call here, though I would never be ballsy enough to do so myself.

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

hes probably putting you on a big squeeze here i guess so i wouldnt discount aa or kk from his range trying to trap on the flop. Hes going to shove all draws on the flop against you obv after in a RR pot. Does he think you call down thin? i think thats pretty important.

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

Novles - 70% of the time I call preflop. I decided this was a good time to aqueeze because I'll take it down preflop a lot, and because preposterous should be put to a decision for all his chips at this point.

sdf - he will never ever ever have kk, aa, ak, aq, etc. Can he assume that both other players will call preflop? Let's assume that on average, if he calls, one other player will call (even though it's prob not true).

Moss - I like a lot of your thoughts, but make sure they conincide with each other. He cannot be shoving AK on the flop if he cannot have AA/KK, because AK is shoving preflop as well.

Lucky - if you were villain, what would you do with AA/KK preflop.

Here's a question for everyone: Preflop, how is TT different than AA for villain? Is it? Does AQ=AK=AA here as well? Hint: Think about my 3betting range. Also consider the dead money.

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

alright true hes not going to flat call aa/kk here i dont think giving the other players good odds to call. I think this has to be a draw/ or air a decent amount of time.
His reasoning: your 3bet is going to look like a squeeze to him since your an overly agressive player. That flop is not that dangerous to him in a RR pot and figures you fold a large majority of hands to his push

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

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Here's a question for everyone: Preflop, how is TT different than AA for villain? Is it? Does AQ=AK=AA here as well? Hint: Think about my 3betting range. Also consider the dead money.

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so you're saying against your preflop 3bet range TT or AQ is a +EV 4bet? even so, you cant assume he will adjust correctly and 4bet those hands.

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

[ QUOTE ]
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Here's a question for everyone: Preflop, how is TT different than AA for villain? Is it? Does AQ=AK=AA here as well? Hint: Think about my 3betting range. Also consider the dead money.

[/ QUOTE ]
so you're saying against your preflop 3bet range TT or AQ is a +EV 4bet? even so, you cant assume he will adjust correctly and 4bet those hands.

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I think he can since this is a very good regular.

Re: A really cool hand I played
 

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Moss - I like a lot of your thoughts, but make sure they conincide with each other. He cannot be shoving AK on the flop if he cannot have AA/KK, because AK is shoving preflop as well.


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You're right. Given that he is competent and knows you're 3betting a fairly wide range here preflop, I completely agree that he doesn't have AK here.

Greg, a question for you: with 2 possible overcalls behind, what kind of range do you think preposterous can call your 3bet with (correctly)?