First time I've been confused preflop for a long time

[Pog0]

4 handed NL400. 150BB deep with the 2 tags, 180BB deep with the fish.

24/18 UTG: $600
55/5 BTN: $2,000
24/18 SB: $680
Me/BB: $745

24/18 raises to 14 UTG.
55/5 calls on BTN.
24/18 3bets to 45 in the SB.
Hero?

The reason I'm confused here is because raising with AK seems like it's equivilant to raising with 2 blank cards here.

All 3 options seem viable. What's your play? Is it close?

[Big_Jim]

If the button's as bad as he looks, post flop, I'd call.

Him being in the pot should make everybody play straightforward, but he'll still pay you off, because he sucks.

[mynameisjoe]

I dont have btn that strong as he Is probly just holding a mediocre hand he wouldnt call with unless he had pos(and that small stack [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ), but this is a very tough spot. What range do you put sb making the 3bet on? But with UTG yet to act and at best your in a slight disadvantage with the SB in a flip, I think I would muck..but a very tough spot to be in.

[Pog0]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont have btn that strong as he Is probly just holding a mediocre hand he wouldnt call with unless he had pos(and that small stack [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ), but this is a very tough spot. What range do you put sb making the 3bet on? But with UTG yet to act and at best your in a slight disadvantage with the SB in a flip, I think I would muck..but a very tough spot to be in.

[/ QUOTE ]

note: We're currently playing 4 handed, but the stats I gave are for 5-6 handed.

All 3 players should have a fairly wide range here. UTG least so since he raises knowing the fish will often call putting him out of position.

I think the spot is tough because although I have the best hand most of the time here, I don't think I'm ever getting called by a worse hand if I raise (125?) unless it's by UTG, and then I'm still in a very difficult situation.

So basically, I'd pick up the pot PF, be OOP and without a clue how to proceed, or in position and dominated most of the time.

However, calling opens the pot up for UTG to resteal.

It was a toss-up between all 3 options for the duration of the timer.

[Big_Jim]

[ QUOTE ]
However, calling opens the pot up for UTG to resteal.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't worry about this.

[LearnedfromTV]

i think i'd call. four-ways with > 5% of effective stack in pre, position on the reraiser, and like jim said, everyone likely to play straightforward with the button in the hand and the button being loose-fishy postflop (I'm assuming), i think flopping TPTK 30% of the time is enough for this to be profitable.

[Pog0]

[ QUOTE ]
i think i'd call. four-ways with > 5% of effective stack in pre, position on the reraiser, and like jim said, everyone likely to play straightforward with the button in the hand and the button being loose-fishy postflop (I'm assuming), i think flopping TPTK 30% of the time is enough for this to be profitable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Forum consensus:
Call > Raise > Fold but all very close?

[LearnedfromTV]

I'm kinda assuming this ends up four-ways because UTG probably calls with anything decent because he knows that if he calls button calls, and then button calls because UTG called. And I think this is preferable to 4 betting because there's too good of a chance SB has a hand (again I'm assuming Button is too loose all around, which increaes the likelihood of a junk 3bet getting stuck in a threeway pot OOP). And because drawing to flop TPTK in a four way pot where you have a decent chance of having someone dominated is a pretty good spot.

But even if they both fold after you call, headsup v SB with position having cc'd a 3bet, you'll definitely get some chances to take it away without flopping a pair.

[Big_Jim]

Call >>> Raise >> Fold

IMO

[Pog0]

[ QUOTE ]
Call >>> Raise >> Fold

IMO

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I agree.

***

I really like your reasoning, LearnedfromTV. Very well put.

I defaulted to call as my timer ran down. The more responses I read in this thread, the more convinced I am that calling is best and our hand is too good to fold.