10NL AK - Less than MR 3bet OOP...Now What?

LearningCurve · #1 08-19-2007, 06:40 AM

Villain is complete unknown. Not even worthless HUD stats yet, so I have no idea what his less than MR 3bet means. Generally against an unknown I would muck AKo facing a real 3-bet oop pf. In this case though his bet sizing just begs me to call. I consider 4betting but don't really want to build a larger pot pf as I'd like to be gone cheaply oop if/when I miss.

Flop: Oh joy. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] TPTK but what does he have? The board is two-suited and I have backdoor 2NFD. Still not wanting to build a big hand as I have no idea what he has nor how he'll play it. His PF 3-bet was so cruddy. Not sure if he just isn't any good, has some tiny PP, was really wanting a call, or what. This could just be a whiffed cbet (it's really small) but IDK. Okay, I think I'll keep pot small for now and reevaluate on the turn.

Turn: Now the board flushes. My backdoor FD is one step closer but if I bet and am raised I don't want to play for stacks. Hmmm...I'll just check again and see what he does. Okay, another weak bet. Perhaps he's afraid of the scare card or maybe he's afraid that I will be. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] His bet is not even 1/2 pot now so I don't see how I can fold. It's possible we are splitting or he may have been beaten, but with tptk and my 2NFD I don't feel like I can fold here. At a higher level I may have some FE and might like to semi-bluff raise, but this is 10NL, the land of no FE. I'll just take the fairly cheap river card instead.

River: Darn...missed my flush and board pairs. Well, now that we are here at the river I could try to block but he's kept the pot so small anyhow, I think either c/c or c/f depending upon his bet. His bet makes it $1 into a $6.55 pot. Easy call I think, so I do.

Okay, those are my thoughts but I'm interested in other viewpoints and opinions. As it's been said many times before -- it sucks to play NLHE OOP!

Thanks! Oh, and just for kicks, guess what he played like this...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

MP3 ($9.35)
CO ($20.05)
Button ($5.25)
SB ($11.55)
BB ($7.70)
UTG ($2.15)
Hero ($12.60)
MP1 ($8.35)
MP2 ($6.05)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.4, MP1 raises to $0.7, 6 folds, Hero calls $0.30.

Flop: ($1.55) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $0.7, Hero calls $0.70.

Turn: ($2.95) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $1.3, Hero calls $1.30.

River: ($5.55) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $1, Hero calls $1.

Final Pot: $7.55

zyrrth · #2 08-19-2007, 06:57 AM

looks ok, too bad he had aces.

Jeans · #3 08-19-2007, 07:32 AM

Before I moved up from NL10, it took me some time to realise, but that minibet is pretty much always AA (could be Kk), so I actually started mucking AK/AQ type of unsuited hands, and when I got a pair, play it for set value and bust his stack. Donkeys just seem to do that alot, they think their aces are invincible and they don't want the opponent to fold... But this is just me [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Teddie · #4 08-19-2007, 07:43 AM

I think i'd lead the flop myself, and check turn and if he checks behind then value bet river. I'll go with Q's for Villan.

Splitrig · #5 08-19-2007, 08:31 AM

I only three bet with AA, KK, QQ, AK, and JJ. So I bet he has one of those. I think that a three bet represents those hands -- no matter how strong the bet is. I wonder what others think?

"One of the hallmarks of a good poker player is to play in such a way that you don't have to make tough decisions...Let your opponents struggle with those decisions. As much as possible, try to leave yourself with easy decisions and clear-cut plays, and avenues of escape."
--Dan Harrington

countzerO · #6 08-19-2007, 09:49 AM

Ive seen people mini-reraise with AA a lot on NL10, but NL10 is also the land of stupid plays, so Villain range is hard to establish without reads.

My 2 cents about the hand: since you checked the flop, I'd raise that weak flop bet up to 2.5 or 3$, ready to let it go if he comes over the top or if he calls and then keeps on betting.

threads13 · #7 08-19-2007, 11:30 AM

I think the first thing you need to consider if you call the flop raise is exactly what you want to commit. You would like to flop TP on a somewhat non dangerous board. First thing I would do is come up with a range and a plan if I make a flop call. I would give him a range of like TT+/AQ+/KQ or so.

This is a good flop for you and your are ahead of most of his range. He probably won't put in much more bets if he has QQ/TT. He will get AI with you with AA-KK/JJ/AK. for sure. I don't think you should be committed so the flop c/c is good. He could make this bet with any part of his range. You could also c/r to about 2.25 and plan to fold to a 3-bet if you think a 3-be is only AA-KK/JJ/AK. If he has QQ/TT then this may be the only bet out you get out of him and he may bet again on the turn with those.

The turn card helps you for the most part. I think your hand is good enough to get AI here. He may have a worse K. You may be drawing to a split or one of you may have a free roll. He also may be getting stupid with QQ/TT and have trouble letting them go. Also, you may get him to fold AK or even AA. So, I like a c/r AI. Also, if he has betting with a hand like AJ a c/r is the correct play.

You have good odds to call on the river. If he has AJ that is a tough break (and he may have even called your c/r on the turn).

The problem with the hand is that I believe your SPR is a bit too high. If the SPR was in more of a 3 range I think you could c/r AI any flop you hit(and some you don't - sure). So, it is easier to call the min-raise but it puts you in a worse place postflop than had he raised more. Weird.

Dalek · #8 08-19-2007, 11:50 AM

I put the villain on AA/KK with the pre-flop min re-raise. Possibly an A with K,Q,J or JJ, QQ but not as likely.

Because of my read i would fold on the flop. If i got to the turn i would probably fold unless i had a read that he overvalued hands and could stack him if a diamond came but you said he was unknown. Call river if it got that far but may raise because his bet was weak and he may be scared of the flush.

threads13 · #9 08-19-2007, 03:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I put the villain on AA/KK with the pre-flop min re-raise. Possibly an A with K,Q,J or JJ, QQ but not as likely.

Because of my read i would fold on the flop. If i got to the turn i would probably fold unless i had a read that he overvalued hands and could stack him if a diamond came but you said he was unknown. Call river if it got that far but may raise because his bet was weak and he may be scared of the flush.

[/ QUOTE ]

If that is your read you shouldn't call preflop or postflop anywhere.

zyrrth · #10 08-19-2007, 03:59 PM

What's SPR?