100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

I just sat down a few hands ago. SB is ~35/1. MP1 and BTN are both bad sLAG's who respect my 3bets, and since BTN was the only one of the three with a full stack, this seemed like a really easy spot to squeeze.

UB NLHE - $0.50/$1 Blinds - 10 Players

SB: $47.75
Hero (BB): $100.00
UTG: $48.50
UTG+1: $99.05
UTG+2: $100.00
MP1: $41.25
MP2: $99.00
MP3: $82.50
CO: $128.90
BTN: $110.30

Preflop: Hero is dealt Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (10 Players)
3 folds, <font color="red">MP1 raises to $3.50</font>, 3 folds, BTN calls $3.50, SB calls $3.00, <font color="red">Hero raises to $18.00</font>, 2 folds, SB calls $14.50

Does anyone not make this move PF? Why not?

Flop: ($43) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
SB checks, HERO (Villain has $29.75 left)

What the hell? Do I take the free card? Is he ever folding if I shove? This is obviously not the dream flop...am I just [censored] no matter what I do?

Re: 100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

checks

Re: 100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

Disclaimer- I don't play at these level's, and I can't play, so do the opposite I advise.

AQ is a nice hand to be involved in, but its pretty flop dependent. You're probably better to have a higher SPR against the full stack and a good SPR against the two smaller stacks.

Looking at preflop -
If you called the bet, we would have (if I'm reading HH right) 3 villains $14 pot.

MP1 - $37.75 (SPR 2.7)
BTN - $106.80 (SPR 7.6)
SB - $44.25 (SPR 3.2)

Here we see we've got the best SPR against all 3 opponents for a top pair type hand, all within the SPR of 2-8 range. It gives you movement with betting and not making people go all in from pot odds, gives you a chance to be aggressive if you like, or dump it if you don't hit and don't feel confident going further. Almost the best situation would be calling preflop instead of raising.


What we did though was raise it up with a 3 bet, which has got you into a bit of a tough spot. Now we're in the situation of (I'm assuming button folded)-

SB - $29.75 (SPR of 0.7)

I guess best play would probably be take the free card and hope one of your 6 outs comes. Any type of cbet basically puts the villain all in. I can't see him folding for the odds he is getting. I wouldn't be surprised to see the SB shove the turn if you take the free card as taking the free card shows weakness, which I'd probably fold too if no help came.


Cliff notes - I'd probably prefer to be in a multiway pot with AQ, which I can get away from easily if I don't connect, with movement in my stack to be a bit more agressive if I choose, rather then raise it up and be in a pot commited hand, with a short stack who is most likely going to push with anything.

As played, take the free card, and hope for help, fold to agression.

Re: 100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

check. i he calls a 3bet for 40% of his stack, he will call with any pair.

If you hit a A or Q, get it in.

Also, how often do you squeeze with AQ? i'm assuming it isn't 100% of the time. when the stacks are awkward like this, this might be a spot to call.

Re: 100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

I have a tendency to follow through on my c-bets, esp vs. his stack. I like to see him fold...He easily missed with his AK, AQ....

Re: 100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

[ QUOTE ]
I have a tendency to follow through on my c-bets, esp vs. his stack. I like to see him fold...He easily missed with his AK, AQ....

[/ QUOTE ]

Me 2 I'd bet him 1/3 to 1/2 his stack to give him the impression I don't want him to fold, so he will. I'm getting my chips in the middle pretty much no matter what.

Re: 100NL: I Hate Middlestackers
 

[ QUOTE ]
how often do you squeeze with AQ? i'm assuming it isn't 100% of the time. when the stacks are awkward like this, this might be a spot to call.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not often...but this is a unique scenario where it seems completely standard to me. The only full stack smooth called the original raise, so I know he's folding. 3betting forces the original raiser to fold/shove (FWIW, he said he folded TT here), and since the full stack is folding and the SB normally folds, it seems +++++EV to squeeze here.

Frankly, I think folding is better than calling here.