NL100 bind defense vs 1p0kerboy. Am I weak-tight?

[mikes007]

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Can't you find better spots to defend your blind and avoid this whole predicament?

You're building a big pot out of position against a tight player and you have no clue whether your hand is good or not.

I think a fold preflop is an excellent play.

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Sure, if I fold preflop you can commit larceny to your heart's content. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

My thought process when you opened is as follows:

1) Pokerboy, while generally a tight player, steals blinds somewhat regularly.

2) If I raise, Pokerboy might fold enough that I can make an instant profit on the 3-bet.

3) If we see a flop; my hand still has decent equity vs Pokerboy's range, and we can play poker on later streets

3.5) If I am mistaken in estimating his calling range for 3) and he really has me crushed when he calls, then I make even more money becuase of 2)


4) If Pokerboy comes over the top of my 3-bet, I can safely fold, knowing that his range crushes mine.

5) Pokerboy is well known to be a 12-tabler. Perhaps he will play suboptimally (although still decently) if he holds a marginal hand.

As regards defending with AJ in general, I realize that it is an easily dominated hand vs a reasonable calling range, but doesn't the fact that I hold 1 of the Aces somewhat reduce the threat of domination? Should I be flat-calling with this hand? Or should I fold it? What if it was suited?

Thank guys for all the comments and advice; I am learning a lot from this forum.

[1p0kerboy]

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3) If we see a flop; my hand still has decent equity vs Pokerboy's range, and we can play poker on later streets


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You don't want to play a weak top-pair type hand OOP against a good player. It's just not good for business. You're at a huge disadvantage in this sense.

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4) If Pokerboy comes over the top of my 3-bet, I can safely fold, knowing that his range crushes mine.


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There are a TON of hands that are crushing your range that I'm not coming over the top with. So added to your positional disadvantage is the fact that when I call I'm crushing your range and you have NO additional information about the strength of my hand. I will sometimes call with aces or kings here.

I would recommend playing more pots in position. In other words, let this one go and steal the guys' blind to YOUR left.

Also, it might be better to make plays like this against players you know have a larger range than me.

And bottomset made a good point. If you want to put me in my place, do it with your best hands and/or with bluffs. Don't put yourself in a difficult spot with a marginal top-pair hand where not only do you not know if you are good or not but also the villian has the best ability to control the pot size.

[Jeff76]

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If you want to put me in my place, do it with your best hands and/or with bluffs.

[/ QUOTE ]This can't be right if by "bluff" I assume you mean random trash. AJ will play better against you than 94o, even as a bluffing hand.

Personally, I'm not too worried about stealing my blinds. I'm a lot more inclined to raise from the button over a CO steal. However, unless PB was stealing a lot (and honestly, I haven't seen him steal a lot when I've played with him), I'd probably let it go even in that situation.

[Peto]

I dont see a issue 3 betting preflop, pokerboy button range is wide on the button. Vs a decent player he will go after dead blind often. I think you have to bet the flop. Poker boy must likely has 99 10 but will never call a value bet on river with those hands. You are getting no more money!! out of him, if he calls your value i ensure you are not winning the hand.

[1p0kerboy]

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This can't be right if by "bluff" I assume you mean random trash. AJ will play better against you than 94o, even as a bluffing hand.

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Well, I didn't mean total trash.

Suited connectors and suited gap connectors so that if you do get called you may actually flop something.

I think this is what bottomset was referring to also.

[D.L.M.]

grunch-I think that you can repop poker boy here preflop if you want. He had 99 tt and you missed a value bet. also a flop lead is best against him. He loves to re defend his steals for some gay reason.ANd if you are gonna repop here you must play for stacks on this flop.

[1p0kerboy]

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I dont see a issue 3 betting preflop, pokerboy button range is wide on the button.

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It's not just a range vs. range situation is what I've been explaining.

You're playing the rest of the hand at a positional disadvantage, which is huge.

Not to mention that if you do get action, you're almost always going to be behind. There are a lot of flops that are going to put you in trouble.

[zman2245]

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I dont see a issue 3 betting preflop, pokerboy button range is wide on the button.

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It's not just a range vs. range situation is what I've been explaining.

You're playing the rest of the hand at a positional disadvantage, which is huge.

Not to mention that if you do get action, you're almost always going to be behind. There are a lot of flops that are going to put you in trouble.

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After reading bottomset and your posts I've realized you guys are right. Raising with AJ sucks. It is much better to raise with something like 68s that could hit a big draw or a well-disguised 2 pair, trips hand.

Still not sure if folding or calling is best. I would lean towards a call but I guess folding is OK maybe even better......

[Jeff76]

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This can't be right if by "bluff" I assume you mean random trash. AJ will play better against you than 94o, even as a bluffing hand.

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Well, I didn't mean total trash.

Suited connectors and suited gap connectors so that if you do get called you may actually flop something.

I think this is what bottomset was referring to also.

[/ QUOTE ]Got it- makes perfect sense.

[Peto]

Playing hand out of position vs a tight is clearly very bad we can all agree on this statment. How are does the action stop after he 3 bets you preflop. Many times you fold preflop and we make easy money vs your button range. If you do call you have to have a good hand to call a 3/4 flop bet.