88 UTG moving up a level

[Todd]

Based on the "differences between micro levels" thread, I decided to jump a level, and try to play the TAG game, and not be a nit playing with scared money. Two empty seats are (unfortunately) between the BB and me, so I am first to act. My stats on the table were 19/8/1.9, and villains were 18/8/0.9.

On the flop my plan, if I can call it that, was to represent a K and hope he wasnt holding AK, AA, or KK. FOld to a RR, and see what happens on the turn if he calls. The turn was just following through, since I would have bet there if I had a K, so it made 'sense'.

As played, between my racing heartbeat, and, feeling that I was spewing, I thought it made sense, but is this too much aggression, with not enough hand here?

Thanks in advance.

Todd

Poker Stars
Limit Holdem Ring game
Limit: $1/$2
8 players
Converter

Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is UTG with 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
<font color="#cc0000">Hero raises</font>, 3 folds, <font color="#cc0000">CO 3-bets</font>, 3 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (7.5SB, 2 players)
Hero checks, <font color="#cc0000">CO bets</font>, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises</font>, CO calls.

Turn: K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (5.75BB, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Hero bets</font>, CO...

[fretelöo]

I say this looks good.

[martybonus]

todd,

love the sentiment, but how confident are you that your semi-bluff/representing a K is going to work against a villain who 3banged you in better position?

fwiw i love the open raise with 88.

but semi-passive villain's 3bet in response make me very nervous. He may be on QQ or AQ or JJ, but i fear AK or a better PP when a passive villain 3bangs me.

if CO raises, fold the turn IMO. if he calls, you're pretty well stuck betting the river as well aren't you? You're pretty well stuck representing a K all the way to showdown here...

[Todd]

love the sentiment, but how confident are you that your semi-bluff/representing a K is going to work against a villain who 3banged you in better position?

--

Not confident at all, honestly, but I am trying not to play scared, and raising UTG should make villain at least give some pause to what I have, no?

Also, I thought it was better to try this against an aggressive player (18/8) rather than a calling station since I thought this villain, based on his profile could find a fold.

[martybonus]

definitely. was more trying to understand your thinking than to try to be 'mr questiony sarky pants'. i hate that.

looking back on my post, i'm not that coherent.

i'm also not very good at bluffing.

go with what freteloo says.

looking back on it, i do like it. you have most certainly successfully represtned kings here.

i think i find it difficult to ignore what you *actually* have. thus i'm bad at bluffing.

ignore me, i just work here [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Todd]

I dont think you are mr. questiony snarky pants.

I dont want to ignore you.

Every strategy post anyone writes here has behind it their honest thought and assessment (I know this is a reach, but you get what I am saying). That is why answering other peoples posts is so much more valuable than just putting up your own hands.

So, Thanks.

Todd

[seano34]

I think its good.

His pre-flop range is prob AA-JJ/AK-AQs/KQs

I think AK/KK/AA is going to reraise you on the flop.

The K on the turn and your bet should be enough to fold AA,AQ-AJ. If he calls I am going to be v. wary of KQs though and the river is a tricky decision as if you bet you are only going to get called by a hand that beats you but checking it pretty much lets on you didnt have the king.

[threads13]

I give this guy a 3-betting range of something along the lines off 99+/AQo+ or so(assuming he is as your stats say).

On the flop...
Ahead: AQ

Behind: Everything else.


Do you think you can get him to lay down QQ-TT? He is almost never folding AK or AA in this spot(referring to the flop). We definitely don't have equity for a raise unless we think we can make him fold QQ-TT.

[Todd]

We definitely don't have equity for a raise unless we think we can make him fold QQ-TT.

---

There can be no doubt about this, but here is the question, is a guy with 18/8/1 stats self aware enough to think about what I would be raising with UTG, and ck raising with on a Kxx flop?

Perhaps I am giving too much credit to the villain, and this comes from moving up, and assuming that the folks who are playing 18/8 are doing so because they have some idea about striving to be a TAG gambler, and as such will put some small thought into what hands I would play the way I did.

As I said, I am folding a reraise on the flop, since I am dead to 2 outs if he does that, and if the turn comes an airball, I probably have to bet fold, which was my plan on the turn even with the king.

So, maybe I am giving him credit for being thoughtful, and maybe I am overplaying it, but I will tend to respect an UTG PFR and assume a premium hand, so I thought he might as well.