3-betting light, the fish and you

bilbo-san · #1 10-25-2006, 03:55 AM

I've said this a million times, but it bears repeating.

3-betting light is something you should do occasionally vs. thinking players. Don't 3-bet the fish light.

I just saw the following hand go down on FT. The 3-bettor is a 19/17/3 "TAG" and the other guy is a huge donator -- 45/20/2.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
6 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
Bilbo: $481.50
UTG+1: $197
CO: $186.80
Button: $142.65
SB: $300.55
BB: $40

Pre-flop: (6 players) Bilbo is UTG with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Bilbo raises to $7, UTG+1 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB raises to $32, BB folds, Bilbo folds, CO calls.

Flop: 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ($73, 2 players)
SB bets $55, CO calls.

Turn: 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ($183, 2 players)
SB bets $100, CO calls all-in $99.8.
Uncalled bets: $0.2 returned to SB.

River: J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ($382.6, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $382.6)

Results:
Final pot: $382.6
CO showed Ac Kd
SB showed Qd As

SB played AQ like it was AA. Of course, the reason you WOULD play AA like this is because the fish isn't folding and the fish has no freaking idea that this line looks exactly like AA.

When a TAG open-raises UTG, and a total fish calls, it's OK to muck AQo in the SB. No, really. You're going to be out of position the rest of the hand and you don't have much fold equity, and UTG could very well have a big hand. He IS UTG, after all.

It's OK to call here, too, and tread cautiously if you flop an A/Q.

But 3-betting here is a pure bluff, and it isn't a good one, because, dare I repeat it yet again, there's a calling station in the hand. Most of the time, you are going to end up OOP in a big pot.

This play would be MUCH better if the fish folded and the 18/15 button called before it got to you.