Live 1/2 QQ 275BBs deep

[minnesotasam]

x-post from MSNL where its getting zero responses

Just got back from an eventful live 1/2 session at my favorite underground Philly club (60-250 buyin pre 1 am, 500 max buy after). One of the things that I love about this club is that toward the end of the night the play becomes super deepstacked. I think that's my biggest issue with this hand, I know exactly how to play 100BBs deep, 150 too, but I'm little shaky with 275.

I pick up QQ UTG. We're 6 handed at this point, stacks range from ~90 to ~550. I cover all. The 550 stack is also the villain in this hand. His name is Jerry. Jerry weighs about 350 lbs, has a big beard, and is pretty easy going at the table. We've played many hours together and know each other's games quite well. Lately Jerry has taken to rotating between telling me how badly I suck and then telling other players that I'm by far the best player at the table. I think his real opinion of me is greatly skewed to the latter. His game ranges from good to average, but he's a relative shark at this place. He's a thinking player, but gets a little LAPpy PF and in small pots. He is, however, capable of making big moves, turning marginal hands into bluffs, making hero calls, etc. I respect Jerry's game when he's playing well.

Jerry's probably erring a little on the passive side tonight, but could be card dead. I just took a 300BB pot off of in the previous orbit.

I look down at Qc Qd UTG and make it 7 to go. I've been raising PF frequently though not in EP (not that I'm sure others have noticed this). This is a smallish raise in 1/2, but its a table flow thing so bear with me.

I got 2 callers behind me and the SB comes along. Jerry looks down at his cards and makes it 40 more to go. OOP he has not been 3-betting at all tonight, unless you count straddles as a raise which he can attack light (A3o, KTo, etc.). Still, I think air makes up a very small percentage of his range.

I made it 80 more (127 total). He paused and flat-called. Flop was 9s 8s 6c. He checked, I bet 160.

Thoughts? What do we do if he flat calls? Shoves?

All comments/criticisms on all streets greatly appreciated.

[myke11]

If he plays back at you on the flop youre not ahead of anything, doubt he's raising the cbet with JJ

[Nielsio]

If he has air almost never, then why are you reraising and making sure he only calls with better hands?

[whorasaurus]

wow check the flop. your line is great for 100BBs, but strikes me as very dangerous for 275BBs. In this spot I'm thinking pot control, and looking to get to showdown as cheaply as possible. And bet at least 12 pre.

[minnesotasam]

[ QUOTE ]
If he has air almost never, then why are you reraising and making sure he only calls with better hands?

[/ QUOTE ]
Who said he only calls with better hands?

And also, and I think this might be a leak (hence this post), in deepstacked situations I feel compelled to try and smoke out my opponent's hand earlier if I'm in a spot that feels marginal.

Nielsio you flat call the raise then, no?

[minnesotasam]

[ QUOTE ]
wow check the flop. your line is great for 100BBs, but strikes me as very dangerous for 275BBs. In this spot I'm thinking pot control, and looking to get to showdown as cheaply as possible. And bet at least 12 pre.

[/ QUOTE ]
Against an aggressive opponent where effective stacks postflop are ~1.6x pot, is pot control viable? Or are we just asking to get blown off of our hand by JJ value-bluffing us or AK legitimately bluffing us? I don't honestly know, I'm curious as to what you think?

[paradroid12]

If you call the 3 bet, bet the flop. If you raise it, then check the flop (and ask for the Q on the turn).

If he's not raising you light, his range is JJ+, AK, AQs, the end. You've got some equity against this range, but not enough to continue on so deep.

[minnesotasam]

I'm IP, I can't bet the flop once I flat call if he c-bets.

[freedom18]

lol i mis read the pfr, but basically you can bet pretty huge and then decide from there what to do based on his moves.

I doubt hes gunna run a huge bluff, maybe he will push with super draw AKs and slow played AA KK, so a fold on this flop after you've being showing so much aggression (after ur cbet) isnt that bad if u have reads

[whorasaurus]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
wow check the flop. your line is great for 100BBs, but strikes me as very dangerous for 275BBs. In this spot I'm thinking pot control, and looking to get to showdown as cheaply as possible. And bet at least 12 pre.

[/ QUOTE ]
Against an aggressive opponent where effective stacks postflop are ~1.6x pot, is pot control viable? Or are we just asking to get blown off of our hand by JJ value-bluffing us or AK legitimately bluffing us? I don't honestly know, I'm curious as to what you think?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I think:

Any bet on this flop gets us seriously, seriously committed with a good, but not great hand against one of the strongest/(trickiest?) players at your table. I think a 3-bet OOP from a player who is good but has been otherwise passive is the first warning bell. That being said, I still like your repop to 125ish. When Villain calls here, I start to slow down. How would you play AA/KK in villains position? Personally, I probably shove KK, but the AA cold call is pretty sexy this deep. Alternatively he might MIGHT have AK, and just makes the call.

On to the flop. If he took this line with a hand you beat (JJ, TT, LOL) villain bets this flop 100%. Even w/ AK, i think villain leads out exactly what you bet. But he didn't. As bizarre as this sounds, I'd be more inclined to get involved in this hand if he DID lead out on this flop, as it is more indicative of a weaker hand/AK bluff.

My overall point is, by checking flop in THIS situation, you don't really give up that much equity. In the worst case scenario, you are against an AK that has chickened out, and give them a 13ish% chance to suck out on you. Worst case, you lead, are checkraised, and ship 550BB to a hand that had you crushed the whole time.

Oh, and I have no real idea how to play turn after I check the flop, but I probably bet 130ish assuming its a blank and is checked to me.

Good post, this is a tough spot.