Playalong: s00ted rags from the SB

[DrModern]

All right, welcome to my playalong. Here are my reads:

UTG and UTG+1 are loose-passive fish. They see a little more than 50% of all flops and generally enjoy calling down with weak hands all the way to river. The BB is on the LAG side. The CO is notably better than everyone else, plays fewer hands, and is aggressive--25/19/2.25 over 45 hands.

Full Tilt $0.25/$0.50 hold 'em (9 handed)

DrModern is the SB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

PREFLOP:
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO (poster) checks, 1 fold, PAGING DR MODERN?

I know what I think, but do any of you fold this?

[Smurph64]

*grunch*

based on the happy go lucky folks you are playing with the tempting call and then donk on the flop doesn't seem like a good idea so you are probably only going to win with a flush draw or a trips two pair flop. I don't think I play this. Its likely a very expensive chase if you hit a parter. It would depend on how well I am playing at the time, what my play looks like to Ben and Jerry there not being that important compared to what the CO knows about me.

[feroder_zb]

If the small blind is greater than or equal to 50% of the big blind ($0.15 in this case) I usually complete with any two suited, if there is at least one limper in. If there are 4 limpers in front as in this case, I actually get happy about my call because I'm getting fantastic implied odds. If the small blind is less than 50% of the big blind ($0.10 in this case), then I probably still call with 4 limpers in front, but would fold if say there was only 1 or 2 limpers.

[Bodizapha]

Don't fold. Your hand is marginal, but you're in the SB and the pot is big.

[Str8Fish]

not unless I want to suck at poker... preflop is a call.

[bozlax]

[ QUOTE ]
The BB is on the LAG side.

[/ QUOTE ]

If BB's PFR is anything above 20, or you've seen him raise the blinds with a number of limpers, this is a fold. (I'm predicting that Hero completes, BB raises, all call and CO 3-bets, fwiw.)

How do you come to have 45 hands of stats on CO but he's posting? I'm not looking forward to being trapped with the TAG on my right and the LAG on my left...switch 'em, and it's not so bad.

Just thinking out loud. I'll complete, for the sake of the playalong, but I don't think it's really that good an idea. The whole "complete with any two suited" idea really doesn't play well online, generally, and in this particular hand having two aggro players in to drive out the limpers will ruin your implieds.

[Smurph64]

[ QUOTE ]
not unless I want to suck at poker... preflop is a call.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good thought, however this is going to be a difficult hand to play postflop. Most of us are probably not ready. So I think caution here is a good thing to think about. I don't go into the pot going oh great implied odds lets go for it.

Online you have 5-15 seconds to make decisions. So I think a battle plan before hand for these situations makes a lot more sense for some of us.

It is important to know that you likely have to face in different flop situations before they come down.

Do I raise bottom pair against these opponents? What if the flop comes 367spades or 3KK? Even if I flop a flush can I be sure a 4 flush isn't going to hit the boards and someone holding AsJh tags along for the ride hoping one of the 7(9 odds wise) hearts left hits the river?

This hand rarely is playable chasing for best hand and it rarely holds up as best hand if it hits the flop.

I think opportunity cost is cheap in micro so people also get into habits without knowing why they did it in the past and then when they get better and play higher stakes they don't change their game and continue to make these preflop calls.

Go ahead and play but I want to know I am the best at the table and I want to know I can get away from this hand if a flop comes and doesn't play the way I want it to.

Its a great test of skill but I would rather cut my teeth by playing along on these forums first.

[MrWookie]

It's not going to be hard at all. Flush draw? No prob. Two pair or trips? No prob. Air? No prob. One pair? If we fold this every time, we're not making a big mistake.

[Hielko]

[ QUOTE ]
Good thought, however this is going to be a difficult hand to play postflop.

[/ QUOTE ]
This hand is so easy postflop. Flop 2P or better or a flushdraw or else check/fold it. Playing 2 pair or better or a flushdraw isn't exactly rocketscience.

[Ricks]

Your getting 13:1 to call with a suited hand. Even if BB raised you would probably be getting over 11:1 to make the call. I think that this is an easy call.