First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

4 handed NL400. 150BB deep with the 2 tags, 180BB deep with the fish.

24/18 UTG: $600
55/5 BTN: $2,000
24/18 SB: $680
Me/BB: $745

24/18 raises to 14 UTG.
55/5 calls on BTN.
24/18 3bets to 45 in the SB.
Hero?

The reason I'm confused here is because raising with AK seems like it's equivilant to raising with 2 blank cards here.

All 3 options seem viable. What's your play? Is it close?

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

If the button's as bad as he looks, post flop, I'd call.

Him being in the pot should make everybody play straightforward, but he'll still pay you off, because he sucks.

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

I dont have btn that strong as he Is probly just holding a mediocre hand he wouldnt call with unless he had pos(and that small stack [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ), but this is a very tough spot. What range do you put sb making the 3bet on? But with UTG yet to act and at best your in a slight disadvantage with the SB in a flip, I think I would muck..but a very tough spot to be in.

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

[ QUOTE ]
I dont have btn that strong as he Is probly just holding a mediocre hand he wouldnt call with unless he had pos(and that small stack [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ), but this is a very tough spot. What range do you put sb making the 3bet on? But with UTG yet to act and at best your in a slight disadvantage with the SB in a flip, I think I would muck..but a very tough spot to be in.

[/ QUOTE ]

note: We're currently playing 4 handed, but the stats I gave are for 5-6 handed.

All 3 players should have a fairly wide range here. UTG least so since he raises knowing the fish will often call putting him out of position.

I think the spot is tough because although I have the best hand most of the time here, I don't think I'm ever getting called by a worse hand if I raise (125?) unless it's by UTG, and then I'm still in a very difficult situation.

So basically, I'd pick up the pot PF, be OOP and without a clue how to proceed, or in position and dominated most of the time.

However, calling opens the pot up for UTG to resteal.

It was a toss-up between all 3 options for the duration of the timer.

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

[ QUOTE ]
However, calling opens the pot up for UTG to resteal.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't worry about this.

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

i think i'd call. four-ways with > 5% of effective stack in pre, position on the reraiser, and like jim said, everyone likely to play straightforward with the button in the hand and the button being loose-fishy postflop (I'm assuming), i think flopping TPTK 30% of the time is enough for this to be profitable.

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

[ QUOTE ]
i think i'd call. four-ways with > 5% of effective stack in pre, position on the reraiser, and like jim said, everyone likely to play straightforward with the button in the hand and the button being loose-fishy postflop (I'm assuming), i think flopping TPTK 30% of the time is enough for this to be profitable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Forum consensus:
Call > Raise > Fold but all very close?

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

I'm kinda assuming this ends up four-ways because UTG probably calls with anything decent because he knows that if he calls button calls, and then button calls because UTG called. And I think this is preferable to 4 betting because there's too good of a chance SB has a hand (again I'm assuming Button is too loose all around, which increaes the likelihood of a junk 3bet getting stuck in a threeway pot OOP). And because drawing to flop TPTK in a four way pot where you have a decent chance of having someone dominated is a pretty good spot.

But even if they both fold after you call, headsup v SB with position having cc'd a 3bet, you'll definitely get some chances to take it away without flopping a pair.

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

Call >>> Raise >> Fold

IMO

Re: First time I\'ve been confused preflop for a long time
 

[ QUOTE ]
Call >>> Raise >> Fold

IMO

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I agree.

***

I really like your reasoning, LearnedfromTV. Very well put.

I defaulted to call as my timer ran down. The more responses I read in this thread, the more convinced I am that calling is best and our hand is too good to fold.