Hero opens from Button - 3bet by mcTAG in the blinds.

[matrix]

Here's a fairly common scenario.

Hero has XX and it's folded to Hero OTB and Hero opens for 4BB.

There is a mcTAG to your left and he 3bets your open raise.
First couple of times this happens I give him a little credit and fold all but the top end of my range (and my range for opening OTB when folded to me is huuuuge)

Lets say this is the third time this has happened now and you are beginning to suspect he is 3betting you light. We can't just hand over our open raises here everytime or we'll be roadkill in short order.

Question 1: What are the chances do you think that villain IS 3betting you light as opposed to the chances he has just hit a run of hot starting hands?

Question 2: Whats your range for 4betting once you do feel you are being 3bet light? and is it better to 4bet a standard amount or just push?

Question 3: Lets say you opened with AK got 3bet and decided to push all-in what notes do you make on mcTAG (if any) if he calls your push with say a mid pp or similar type hand that he really ought not to be calling with.

Question 4: What adjustments should we make at the table for a villain who is 3betting us light on our left to maximise our EV. (for sake of argument we don't want to leave the table)

I don't know all the answers here - I am interested in what uNL's general plan is in this kind of spot.

[Genesis]

1. Not really possible to say is it?

2. I slowly open my range. After a couple times of getting 3bet, the next time my 4bet range is probably TT+, AQo+, AJs+.

3. I make the original note that he 3bets light and just add that he's willing to call the 4bets light as well. Nothing special.

4. I tighten up my range so a much higher percent of my PFR hands I'm now willing to go to war (4-bet) with.

[bozzer]

what stakes is this?

if i know he is a mactag and he thinks i am a mactag i will have my reraising battle cap on from the get-go.

[Ra_]

[ QUOTE ]

Question 1: What are the chances do you think that villain IS 3betting you light as opposed to the chances he has just hit a run of hot starting hands?


[/ QUOTE ]
It think the chances of a good run are higher than people think, he might 3 bet light the first time or two, but after that hes gonna know hes gonna get played back at eventually.

(I know i do this, i'll 3 bet light once or twice teh same opponent but really need big hands to keep hitting them)
[ QUOTE ]

Question 2: Whats your range for 4betting once you do feel you are being 3bet light? and is it better to 4bet a standard amount or just push?


[/ QUOTE ]
given 100bb or less i like the push, but I'm not really sure this is the right play.

[ QUOTE ]

Question 3: Lets say you opened with AK got 3bet and decided to push all-in what notes do you make on mcTAG (if any) if he calls your push with say a mid pp or similar type hand that he really ought not to be calling with.


[/ QUOTE ]
4bet push for value QQ+ maybe JJ

edit: oh yeah, don't 4 bet bluff him
[ QUOTE ]

Question 4: What adjustments should we make at the table for a villain who is 3betting us light on our left to maximise our EV. (for sake of argument we don't want to leave the table)

[/ QUOTE ]

tighten raising range a bit, loosen 4-bet range a bit.

[bozzer]

4bet pushing isn't very good in my experience and theory. i like 4betting 2.5x or calling and 'playing poker' what ever that means [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[meleader2]

i've been experimenting with the call and shove his flop bet, results still pending.

[kom]

[ QUOTE ]
i've been experimenting with the call and shove his flop bet, results still pending.

[/ QUOTE ]

Winner!!

[Gelford]

As my coach Bobbo used to say, if villian insists on playing RR's pots OOP, then let him have his fun.


In other words, there is no need for 4betting as this with 100bb stacks actually commits you to calling a shove. Just start calling his threebets and don't be afraid to loose a stack or two.

[Check_The_Nuts]

call and shove flop bet is OK.

Most of gone is 6-7 within 50 hands and not getting any calls. How's that for abuse? I just posted a hand that somewhat deals with this..

[matrix]

Some good responses so far.

I have been away from poker for a few months and one thing I have noticed is that at 50NL there is a bunch more 3betting going on than there ever used to.

I'm willing to bet that most of the light 3bettors are just following the latest trend and don't really have a clue what they are doing.

Me - I play 3bet pots badly, but I am working on improving lots. Now there are obv easy spots where you 3bet someone with a top hand, these hands play themselves. I'm good at those. Similarly at the other end of the scale there are spots where you 3bet an aggro LP opener with a SC expecting him to fold - and he flat calls and you totally miss the flop - those hands play themselves as well - I can handle those. There are a bunch of situations in the middle tho that I don't do so well at and getting 3bet by a TAG regular seemed like a good place to start.

I should have mentioned in the OP that stacks are 100bb.

Here are some marginal hands I'd like to hear your thoughts on. In each case effective stacks are 100bb and we are playing $50NL. We have opened from the Button/CO and villain who we have as a regular TAG but nothing special has 3bet us from the blinds so after the flop drops we gots position.

We have a read that Villain is 3betting light this session and our image is mcTAG 20/17/3 ish - we have folded on a couple of previous occasions after being 3bet once by this villain and once by some other opponent.

If seeing a posted hand helps your thinking here's one from earlier.

Party Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LegoPoker Hand History Converter

UTG: $85.39
MP: $57.38
CO: $24.05
Hero (BTN): $50
SB: $62.99
BB: $56.27

Pre-Flop: XX dealt to Hero (BTN)
3 folds, <font color="red">Hero raises to $2</font>, <font color="red">SB raises to $7</font>, BB folds, Hero ???

call and "play poker" - 4bet "semibluff raise (and obv call a push) - or fold and kick something??

If you are calling - whats the plan after the flop?

i) JTs
ii) Axo
iii) Axs
iv)TT
v)KJs

also please remember that one line answers rarely help anyone (especially you) please try to explain your thinking behind each action.