Because its a TAG, I don't fold ($50 Full Tilt)

[kurto]

From memory--

Villain and I both have full stacks. Villain has TAG stats. As such I've been stealing his blinds.

Its folded to me in the SB with A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I raise to $2. Villain calls.

FLOP ($4) - A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I bet $3. Villain raises to $7. I call.

TURN ($18) - 2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I check. Villain bets $9. I call.

RIVER ($36) - 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I check. Villain bets $25. I call.

The reason I played this hand as I did is entirely because he was a TAG (something like 18/12/2) and because of how I read his actions and his bet sizing. I have my own ideas why this was right to me but not sure how others will feel.

I debate whether or not I should have either raised the turn or led out but am not sure that's better either. (to be honest, I never really considered folding... but I'm curious to hear if others think otherwise)

(I actually this hand is interesting only because I fold this hand to a non-TAG... I felt like calling and only calling seemed right because the player was TAG)

Anyone?

[hunt1897]

Good Tags don't play like this with air. You have put yourself in a tough situation. When you called turn bet, what did you think you were beating based on Villian's stats?

[corsakh]

He probably showed you A4 or A8.

[gumpzilla]

[ QUOTE ]
He probably showed you A4 or A8.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think this gets posted if the TAG doesn't show either a busted flush draw or QQ-KK, something like that.

I doubt AJ or AQ is playing this way, maybe not even AK. The flop pseudo-minraise looks pretty fishy, and I'm not sure what the goal of that is. So from that perspective, it seems like if he's got you beat it's because he has a set. I guess he might get bluffy with KK here, and there are some flush draws in his range, but nevertheless it seems like it's probably a fairly close calldown.

[prodonkey]

Tags don't call with worse aces.. they reraise preflop with better aces.. cept for maybe AT, AJ, and he's not playing that way with those.

Looks like he has a set.. or air.. and looks like air from the 1/2 pot on turn.. then bomb the river line. I'm gonna guess QKh or JQh

[kurto]

[ QUOTE ]
Tags don't call with worse aces.. they reraise preflop with better aces.. cept for maybe AT, AJ, and he's not playing that way with those.

Looks like he has a set.. or air.. and looks like air from the 1/2 pot on turn.. then bomb the river line. I'm gonna guess QKh or JQh

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the post that best mirrors what was going through my mind.

My thoughts were… the player is a TAG. I felt it highly probable that he was raising me with the flush draw on the flop. I thought if he had a much better ace then me he likely would have raised me preflop. I didn't think he seemed the type to call a raise with an A8 or an A4. Obviously sets were in his range but by virtue of the there being two diamonds on the board, I have to give weight to how TAGs play draws in position. So the flop call is automatic. I even felt if he had a set he wouldn't have done a virtual minraise (It crossed my mind that he's buying a turn card) I don't think my hand is strong enough to 3 bet. I also think if I 3bet he folds anything I beat. More importantly, If he pushes, I can't call. So I called.

On the turn, I note that he bets 1/2 pot. Though I don't have enough experience with this person to know for sure, I don't think it feels strong. I stick with my read from the flop. He either has an ace, a flush draw or some kind of pair/flush draw combo. (though obviously he can't have a paired ace and a flush draw which increases my motive to call.)

River doesn't change anything for any hand he's likely playing. I think in these situations, out of position against an aggressive player, I like to induce a bet. If I bet and I'm right, I believe he folds almost everything I'm beating. I don't mind if he checks behind.

When he does bet, what strikes me is that he bet 1/2 pot on the turn and is now betting closer to 2/3 pot on the river. I actually think this is what led me to call. It didn't feel right to me that he bet this strongly after his weaker turn bet. If he flopped a set, I don't think he bets the turn so weakly. I also think he bets more then 1/2 pot on the turn, especially with a flush draw out there. I felt like his bet wasn't value but an attempt to make me fold. So I called.

Villain showed J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (Right on Prodonkey!)

I posted this because in hindsight its easy for me to think my thinking was spot on. But I'm never sure if it just seemed solid since I won it.

[reef2287]

gump if you were hero in that situation would you raise turn to get a cheap showdown? or am i totally off by thinking that

[prodonkey]

how are you getting a cheap showdown out of position?

[gumpzilla]

[ QUOTE ]
gump if you were hero in that situation would you raise turn to get a cheap showdown? or am i totally off by thinking that

[/ QUOTE ]

Being out of position, raising the turn won't necessarily get us a cheap showdown, as checking the river in that spot is going to look a little weird. Beyond that, raising the turn against this guy's likely range seems like a bad plan because you'll knock out the bluffs and get charged by the good hands.

[reef2287]

i raise turn, i think you'll get him to check most rivers there if hes a tag because your raise on the turn shows great strength, you could then put out a blocking bet and see how he reacts, the way it went he could have fired a pot bet which would have been a much more expensive call... based on your reads, i don't find it spewy, because u seem confident, but i want to minimize the monies i can lose if he actually ends up having a hand ( i hope this is also one of the few tags who can triple barrel as well)