Final 2 tables of FTP 28k guarantee line check

[Dave D]

We just got consolidated to 2 tables 5 hands ago (there are 18 left), I haven't played a hand at this table or with this villian. No reads on villian except I thought I saw him play back at a blind steal or two, but the OR folded PF.

Villian has 230.5k I have 117,800

Blinds just went up to 5000/2500- 600

Is this standard? Or am I getting carried away?

PF it folds to me with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in the CO. I make it 15k to go. Villian repops to 45k to go.


I called PF in large part for meta value. I was really torn between calling and folding here, but I was getting a bit better than 2:1 and thought even if I fold the flop villian will be less likely to resteal from me if he knows I'll call.

When the flop comes, T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I actually think there's a good chance I have the best hand. Also, there's a bunch of draws out there, so I figure if I push I don't let him draw and take a pretty good pot right here.

So I pushed for 72k. Part of me also wants to win this pot right here because to start the hand I only have 23 blinds, which isn't great anyway.

[flyingmoose]

Is villain the button or one of the blinds?

[smittyuiop]

I'm guessing villain is button, and it also looks like he's one of the big stacks and you're above ave? And by saying he played back at blind steals, do you mean he reraised preflop and took it down? Anyway, pot is about 100k and you have 70k. If he has any pair over 6's he's calling and ahead, any unpaired hand he'd probably fold b/c they're probably both over T. Without a read I would guess reraises preflop tend to be pairs more often, although as a big stack I'm also guessing he's more than capable of reraising light to put pressure on mid stacks like you trying to make final table.

I probalby fold preflop but as played I don't mind the shove. Check call his probably shove isn't that bad because any hand that he calls your shove with he is also going to shove himself when you check to him. In addition, he will also shove hands you're well ahead of. But the downside is he could check behind (unlikely) or he could draw out with somethign like QJ or KJ or some other draw that you don't want to have to race against for all your chips. I guess I like shove flop.

[JammyDodga]

I fold pre-flop or push, I really don't like the idea of calling nearly half your stack off with A10, which is going to hard to play after the flop, when you are really only looking for a 10.

If you think he is re-stealing, pop-him back and you'll at least have some fold equity.

As played, and since you hit your 10, its either a push, or a check with the hope of him pushing. There's no way you arent getting them all in after that flop.

[Dave D]

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I'm guessing villain is button,

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Yup, and I'm CO. This hand started as a simple blind steal.
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and it also looks like he's one of the big stacks and you're above ave?


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Yeah, but average doesn't matter.

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And by saying he played back at blind steals, do you mean he reraised preflop and took it down?


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Yup.

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Anyway, pot is about 100k and you have 70k. If he has any pair over 6's he's calling and ahead,


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That's a good point. I didn't really see that at the time. Except I'm ahead of 7s.

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any unpaired hand he'd probably fold b/c they're probably both over T. Without a read I would guess reraises preflop tend to be pairs more often, although as a big stack I'm also guessing he's more than capable of reraising light to put pressure on mid stacks like you trying to make final table.

I probalby fold preflop but as played I don't mind the shove. Check call his probably shove isn't that bad because any hand that he calls your shove with he is also going to shove himself when you check to him. In addition, he will also shove hands you're well ahead of. But the downside is he could check behind (unlikely) or he could draw out with somethign like QJ or KJ or some other draw that you don't want to have to race against for all your chips. I guess I like shove flop.

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[DeeJ]

If you're calling preflop you have to push this flop - there aren't much better flops to get it in with than this (T-rag-rag unflushed but that's about it). He has you well covered and may easily call with an oesd or a heart flush draw (obviously he will call with JJ+ or better)

[DVaut1]

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That's a good point. I didn't really see that at the time. Except I'm ahead of 7s.

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Nitty point but you're way behind 7s, you're barely ahead of 8s (60-40 I think).

As for the line, I'd have shoved pf because I think you still have some fold equity. You put almost half your stack in by just calling, so you look pretty committed anyway. I guess I would listen to a case for some kind of stopngo variant where you call pf/push any flop, but that didn't sound like your plan.

As for the flop line, I'd push this because I really don't want him to check behind with any kind of drawing hand. It's unlikely he'd ever check behind, but I really don't see you inducing many bluffs here if you check to him, either. Maybe you get 22-66 to push if you check, which would be nice.

In all honesty, though, he's probably not folding any kind of drawing hand that your push is intended to force a laydown from. So I really doubt it matters how you play this flop since I don't see you getting him to fold any hands that you would mind giving a free card to.

[Sherman]

I hate calling OOP here PF.

I would have check/raise shoved on the flop (although we obviously hate it if he checks behind).

I think 4-bet shoving PF still has FE especially because he has been actively re-stealing. If he were in one of the blinds, I'd definitally 4-bet shove.

Given that he is on the button folding isn't bad either.

So PF, I think shoving = folding > calling.

On the flop, I think c/r shoving > shoving but it's probably close.

[BarryLyndon]

Yeah, you really need to 4-bet / fold and WTF it if he has a better hand. fwiw, you are probably getting called with AJ+; 88+ because he is going to feel committed at this point. Look at that 45K - I'm not exactly sure you have a lot of FE here. I think fold is slightly better than 4-bet; on the flop, I think you played it fine. At this point, defending against KQ, KJ, AQ, AK, AJ is the way to go. Pot's too big.

Barry

[Dave D]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. Basically, my thought process went like this: steal PF with a decent hand, ok now I;m getting better than 2:1, which isn't great and I should probably fold against one of the few guys that can bust me, but I should call just for meta value to show I won't be that easily restolen from.

On the flop I figure I'm ahead of AK and AQ, possibly if he has 88, but I really didn't realize how many other raising hands I'm behind. Of course I also thought there was a fair chance he's raising there with air, but I realize now the raise wasn't enough for it to be air.

I think the attempted steal is pretty standard here, but I really need to look out and fold here next time because the raise just screams a hand that wants a call.

I'm definitely calling a minraise here though. But I hate what happens on an Axx flop (I'd probably open push, but it sucks).