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Old 09-17-2007, 01:14 AM
maltaille maltaille is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 71
Default Re: 2/4 nl weird spot with Q9s

You're either way ahead, or way behind. His stats aren't that aggressive, but you're stronger than he has a right to expect. He's probably got as many stats on you. Is this a normal play for you? If so, it might weight his hands towards the edges - either really strong (he's hoping for a raise so you can go to war), or weak (he's hoping you missed, like a LAG will on most of their raises, and he can take the pot down quickly without actually having much at all). On the other hand, if you have been lagging it up and there's lots of history, and he's got the guts, he may be willing to go to war light, thinking there's a good chance you're just trying to take the pot away from him even if you raise.

The last option aside (because it depends almost entirely on your read at the time, so it's hard for us to determine the likelihood of it from here), raising will fold out most hands you beat (89 is probably the only one that calls, and it might actually reraise). You can't fold, you have a very unlikely two pair. So, like most WA/WB situations, without a specific read, calling is the best option.

Of course, you then have to call any heart or blank turn (probably including a T or J, though QJ and QT are part of his range). He's probably going to either check, or bet $100-$120 or so into the $142 pot. If he checks, I think practicing some pot control is good even if you get a heart, because you can't handle him pushing over the top, and the possibility of him catching a set for his small pair (the most likely hand he's floating you with) is small.

I'd probably call a Q on the turn too, given you have position, then raise or bet the river strong. A 9 I'd probably raise, hoping he has 89/88/TJ, and not worrying about the weak hands you're folding out (because calling means you're only going to get more from them if he fires again on the river, and that's not very likely after two flat calls).

That will leave you with ~$250 effective stacks and a ~$350 pot on the river (is he good enough to have planned that from the start? If so, it makes it more likely he's very strong). Willing to go all the way on another blank, or even a board that contains a T or J as well? I don't think three streets of OOP aggression changes his hand strength so much (though it does increasingly, weight it towards the strong side) that you can call a blank turn and fold a blank river, so you have to call here as well. Be sure to make some notes on him when you see what he's got.
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