66 from the Button - Trying to be more aggressive

Spike Forehand · #1 12-10-2006, 12:43 PM

Hi All -

I am trying to increase my aggression both before and after the flop and am second guessing myself a lot. Need some thoughts from the rest of you to confirm that I am attacking appropriately or if I may be getting a little too medievel in my approach.

This hand is a good example. I am not entirely certain that I didn't miss an opportunity to win a big pot and instead won a small one.

Reads:

SB is TP 13/0/.5
BB is LP 58/5/.3
MP1 is a very fishy 71/0/2.0
MP2 just sat down - no read

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. MP2 posts a blind of $0.25.
3 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 (poster) checks, 2 folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds.

Flop: (6.40 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 folds.

Final Pot: 3.70 BB
Questions:

Is the iso-raise correct here, or should I be letting the blinds and poster come in to make the pot bigger if I get my set?

Post-flop, should I have slowed down against MP1 and let him bet on the turn or river?

This is probably a fairly standard hand for many of you, but I would appreciate any comments you may have.

Thanks -

Spike

antneye · #2 12-10-2006, 12:59 PM

When i have a fish limping and a poster in between I like to make this play pre-flop since I can normally get it heads up against someone who I can outplay postflop. The fact that you hit your set and lost out on a chance to possibly win a big pot should be irrelevant. Now if this was 2 limpers instead of a poster I would have limped.......imo the poster changes everything.

And for the record, never slow down against a fish. If he is a calling station who takes marginal hands too far why would we ever not make him pay for each and every card?

jrz1972 · #3 12-10-2006, 01:42 PM

I don't like the iso-raise because it's very unlikely that you'll actually succeed in isolating. BB is known to be loose and will probably call if you raise. The poster is also likely to call. So if you raise, a pretty likely result is that you'll end up with 3 opponents, having to maneuver your way through a flop that will usually contain at least two overcards to your pair.

If there weren't a poster, I would raise. I would also tend to raise if the BB weren't so loose. But under the actual circumstances I would just limp and play for my set.

As played, there's nothing you can do. You have to bet the flop, and obviously there was just no action to be had.

Sigurd · #4 12-10-2006, 01:47 PM

jrz1972 beat me to it, and is arguing better.

I would just limp. BB is really loose so I expect him to be calling with a pretty wide range. If BB was tighter, I would like your raise, but I just don't think it is worth it when the chance of having two callers is this big.

Bona · #5 12-10-2006, 03:34 PM

I am not going to address the hand since jrz1972 exactly nailed my opinion on it and stated it better than I could.

I would like to offer an opinion about the first sentence of your post (OP that is) that has no bearing on the hand you posted but may help you find the answers you are looking for.

It sounds like you have been looking in your stats at your historical AF and thinking it looks too passive. It may (perhaps) be helpful to remember there are several components to the AF formula.

The least considered may be that you are calling sometimes when you should be folding. Learning not to call without a decent edge on the draw has helped me improve my win rate and has the side effect of raising my AF. "Working on your aggression factor" maybe a dangerous thing if leads you to bet when you should check and or raise when you should call or fold. I am not saying it isn't a useful benchmark but I am suggesting some thought be given to working on the right components.

bennyhana · #6 12-11-2006, 01:00 AM

[ QUOTE ]

I would like to offer an opinion about the first sentence of your post (OP that is) that has no bearing on the hand you posted but may help you find the answers you are looking for.

It sounds like you have been looking in your stats at your historical AF and thinking it looks too passive. It may (perhaps) be helpful to remember there are several components to the AF formula.

The least considered may be that you are calling sometimes when you should be folding. Learning not to call without a decent edge on the draw has helped me improve my win rate and has the side effect of raising my AF. "Working on your aggression factor" maybe a dangerous thing if leads you to bet when you should check and or raise when you should call or fold. I am not saying it isn't a useful benchmark but I am suggesting some thought be given to working on the right components.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT

Excellent points.

Berg · #7 12-11-2006, 01:29 AM

*grunch*

I think it looks good. You identified and isolated a weak player. BB could not get in for free.(and maybe folds A3o)
The flop has several (backdoor)draws. We don't wanna give MP1 a free shot at improving. It is better to win a small pot here.

Xhad · #8 12-11-2006, 01:36 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If there weren't a poster, I would raise. I would also tend to raise if the BB weren't so loose.

[/ QUOTE ]

If not for the loose BB, I would be more inclined to raise against a limper and a poster than just 2 limpers. Especially since open-limping into a CO post is so obviously some bs drawing hand. The loose BB kills this play for me though.