[pzhon]

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6-handed online NL. <font color="white"> 1835895443 </font>

Hero is the CO, 157 BB.
Villain is the Button, 127 BB. No reads. Really.
Other stacks were at least 75 BB.

Preflop: Hero is dealt A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Fold, limp, Hero raises to 5 BB, Villain calls 5 BB, blinds fold, limper folds.

Flop (2 players, 12.5 BB): K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
Hero bets 8 BB.
Villain calls 8 BB.

Turn (2 players, 28.5 BB): A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Hero checks, Villain bets 17 BB, Hero calls 17 BB.

River (2 players, 62.5 BB): 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Hero checks, Villain pushes for 97 BB. Hero...?

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Hero calls 97 BB.

Villain had 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
Hero wins 256.5 BB - rake.

Against many bad players, I think this is a call. Some will be bluffing with something like Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Some, particularly at lower stakes, will be making a bad value bet with AQ or AJ or KQ. In some NL $200 games, I see too many floats, and I'd call expecting to see a bluff very frequently. Some players are much more likely to value bet a small amount rather than push, but are happy to make big bluffs.

Against a good player, I think this should be a fold. I'm paying off a flopped flush draw, OESD, or set too much, and a good player should be able to see that I might make a big call with two pair, and otherwise I might hate my hand and not be willing to call much of anything. I believe a good player should often push for value with a stronger hand.

Note that a flush draw is less likely than normal since the A, K, and Q of hearts are all visible. In order to have the flush, the Villain must have called with a suited connector. Some people do, and the stacks are deep enough to try it, but it is much more common for people to call with pairs to try to hit a set or to snap off a CB on a rag flop. A flopped set is less likely than normal since KK normally reraises, and QQ often does.

With no reads, I'd call at all levels from NL $25 to NL $200. Most players are bad, and of course I don't need to win 50% of the time to justify the call.

I don't think the call is easy, and because of this, I think it might have been better to make a blocking bet on the river rather than checking to appear weak and induce a bad value bet or bluff.