PAHWM: What is the proper amount of aggression? (1 Viewer)

[jebu]

Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players

PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)

Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00
Action on Hero ($60.68)
- Fold ?
- Call $3.50 ?
- Raise ?

 

[philhut]

Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players

PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)

Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00
Action on Hero ($60.68)
- Fold
- Call $3.50
- Raise

My only issue is if you hit any King or Jack are you good if they bet again on the flop with a K J or A on the board? They either have a decent pair or a high end ace would be my guess unless they are just looking to snake you and in that case i'd let them in a cash game.

 

[Legend5555]

Off suit I probably fold most of the time, call occasionally. Suited, call 100%.

 

[jr8719]

Easy fold.

 

[grebe]

Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players

PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)

Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00
Action on Hero ($60.68)
- Fold ?
- Call $3.50 ?
- Raise ?

This is VERY wide range in these types of games....you are often behind. It's a fold, I think.

 

[grebe]

The only guy I know that plays these games is @boltonguy.

Also of note, at these stakes, you are really swimming with sharks. These games are known as some of the toughest fields in online poker, and although these stakes are micro compared to live stakes, you are getting in to the realm of stakes where aspiring pros are playing.

 

[Legend5555]

The only guy I know that plays these games is @boltonguy.

Also of note, at these stakes, you are really swimming with sharks. These games are known as some of the toughest fields in online poker, and although these stakes are micro compared to live stakes, you are getting in to the realm of stakes where aspiring pros are playing.

I've played in these pools within the last few years as well. And people only are getting better. You can open wide from the button, but you can't defend to a 3! with offsuit gappers against players that have a clue. This is almost regardless to stack depth as well. Offsuit hands just don't give you enough bluffing and barreling opportunities where you have good equity.

 

[boltonguy]

Agree on the KJ offsuit fold, call with KJ suited. You are a dog to any Ax hand that could be a 3! candidate here like AK, AQ, ATs.

 

[boltonguy]

One thing that can bel helpful when looking at these types of scenarios is a free tool called Equilab
You can input what you think V's 3! range is and see what equity you have against that range
I would be careful using GTO 3! calling ranges in this scenario as in my limited experience, the lower the stakes, the less balanced and more value heavy V is inclined to be unless you have HUD states that show otherwise. This hand is a GTO mix between calling & raising but that is based on a GTO BB 3! range that has a lot of bluffs.

 

[jebu]

Interesting views, as I think this is a call most of the time. Not saying it's the right decision.

One thing that can bel helpful when looking at these types of scenarios is a free tool called Equilab
You can input what you think V's 3! range is and see what equity you have against that range
I would be careful using GTO 3! calling ranges in this scenario as in my limited experience, the lower the stakes, the less balanced and more value heavy V is inclined to be unless you have HUD states that show otherwise. This hand is a GTO mix between calling & raising but that is based on a GTO BB 3! range that has a lot of bluffs.

View attachment 858159

I would give a wider range for the V for the 3!, in my experience the players at these stakes are more than capable of 3! bluffing.
Not saying you all don't have a fair point here, I just never even thought of it that seriously.

However, as you probably guessed, H makes the call and the hand goes on.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players

PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)

Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00
Action on Hero ($60.68)
Hero Calls $3.50

FLOP
Flop comes
V leads for half-pot $4.99 ($30.48 left)

Pot ~$15
Action on Hero ($57.20)
- Fold?
- Call $4.99?
- Raise?

 

[boltonguy]

You are probably a marginal favorite against his range. His range has all the sets here (but you block some combos so 3 TT, 1 KK, 1 JJ) and AQ (16) for 21 combos. He would probably c-bet this size with hands that crush you and many hands you are ahead of including AA, AK, AXc, KXc, etc. So I dont think better hands are folding but lots of worse hands are calling a raise here and some of them have pretty good drawing equity. I dont think you have much FE here vs the portion of V's range that is worse with good drawing equity.

I think raising here is tricky as he's short and may jam instead of calling. With no reads he could definitely be jamming hands that you are beating but with good drawing equity. I think you need to decide if you want to click it back (raise smaller to $12 to try and get a fold/call vs a jam) or just call depending on your appetite for calling a jam. You dont have the nuts and he does have stronger hands in range that 2 pair so I wouldnt jam here.

 

[jebu]

Same thoughts, same thoughts.
V has all the nuts and strong draws, hence raising would probably induce a tricky all-in call or a fold question.
If that were the case, I don't think I could fold top-two.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players


PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)

Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00
Action on Hero ($60.68)
Hero Calls $3.50


FLOP
Flop comes
V leads for half-pot $4.99 ($30.48 left)

Pot ~$15
Action on Hero ($57.20)
Hero calls $4.99?

TURN
Turn comes
Board is now
V($30.48) instantly checks to Hero($52.19)

Pot $19.46
Action?
- Check back?
- Bet?

 

[grebe]

You are probably a marginal favorite against his range. His range has all the sets here (but you block some combos so 3 TT, 1 KK, 1 JJ) and AQ (16) for 21 combos. He would probably c-bet this size with hands that crush you and many hands you are ahead of including AA, AK, AXc, KXc, etc. So I dont think better hands are folding but lots of worse hands are calling a raise here and some of them have pretty good drawing equity. I dont think you have much FE here vs the portion of V's range that is worse with good drawing equity.

I think raising here is tricky as he's short and may jam instead of calling. With no reads he could definitely be jamming hands that you are beating but with good drawing equity. I think you need to decide if you want to click it back (raise smaller to $12 to try and get a fold/call vs a jam) or just call depending on your appetite for calling a jam. You dont have the nuts and he does have stronger hands in range that 2 pair so I wouldnt jam here.

Ditto. We have a good hand, we are ahead of his premiums except KK (which we block), but he does have draws. I like a flat here.

 

[grebe]

Same thoughts, same thoughts.
V has all the nuts and strong draws, hence raising would probably induce a tricky all-in call or a fold question.
If that were the case, I don't think I could fold top-two.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players


PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)

Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00
Action on Hero ($60.68)
Hero Calls $3.50


FLOP
Flop comes
V leads for half-pot $4.99 ($30.48 left)

Pot ~$15
Action on Hero ($57.20)
Hero calls $4.99?

TURN
Turn comes
Board is now
V($30.48) instantly checks to Hero($52.19)

Pot $19.46
Action?
- Check back?
- Bet?

My fail safe is aggression, so I bet here...half pot. I am doing so to charge his AK, but instafolding to a jam. I am checking back the river that isnt a K or J

 

[grebe]

I've played in these pools within the last few years as well.

Sorry, didnt know you were a Zoom man! I think no less of you.

 

[boltonguy]

My immediate instinct is to bet 1/2 pot here. It looks like V has a medium strength one-pair hand like 88/K9s (but not clubs) or a hand as strong as AA. A 1/2 pot range cbet from the 3bettor would be pretty standard on flop with any of these hands IMHO.

In V's shoes, I'm really only feeling comfortable checking AcQc or maybe Qc9c here but given that you called flop, why not continue to bet with these hands. Its not like it would be hard to get the rest of the money in with a 1/2 pot bet here and a bet on the river. I would want to bet any other strong hand like KK/JJ/TT/66 to deny your drawing equity; I would not want to give your draws an option to take a free card with any very strong hands that would be vulnerable to a draw here.

So I'm having a hard time putting V on a stronger hand here. I dont think V's better hands will fold to a bet. Worse hands will probably call. Unless he has total air, he may be X to X/C here with a medium strangth hand with or without a draw hoping to take a free card. A bet may get a fold from 88 but AA/QJ is probably continuing but would gladly take a free card.

I think there are a number of rivers that you're not going to like seeing especially if V bets/jams. A 1/2 pot bet here makes the pot $40 and leaves V $20 behind. Any club (6), A (4), Q (4), T (3) or 9 (4) or 20 cards followed by V betting would be uncomfortable. So not quite half the deck. Betting here also exposes you to a jam which would be even less fun to call.

I cant quite talk myself out of betting here. I think it is likely that you have the best hand. You may not get a fold but V may miss so lets grow the pot.
Maybe you river Kc and win it all (but I dont think youd be posting if that happens ). Despite the risk of a jam and a bad river lets bet 1/3 to 1/2 pot. You could go on the smaller side if you are concerned about V jamming here.

 

[Legend5555]

Sorry, didnt know you were a Zoom man! I think no less of you.

Not anymore really. But I've played them before. I played zoom when it first started before black Friday at 100nl. So much easier back then. And I wasn't nearly as good.

 

[boltonguy]

Out of curiosity, I put this in GTO+ with the following ranges on the flop.
These ranges are from from Modern Poker Theory by Acevedo

SB

BN

Flop is a pure call. Solver is raising 3x at 0.16% (so never), Calling 57% and folding 43%

Turn is a 1/4 pot bet, pure strat with this combo. I gave solver 4 bet sizes to see where it would lean.
Pretty much betting on the smaller size here with 50% of range and X the other 50%

 

[boltonguy]

Solver's response to this bet is to fold 60%, call 19% and jam 21%.
Jamming with several hands we beat. Our combo is pure calling a jam.

 

[jebu]

That book by Acevedo is a heavy read but has a lot of valuable information.
My bet sizing differs from what you guys suggested, and also what appears to be the GTO-line.
I was not concerned about villain jamming on top, my instinct to that was snap.
The way I looked at it, is that if villain jams it's more of an indicator that the read is correct, he is most likely on a draw with a high pair.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online cash game, $0.25 / $0.50
6-handed Zoom table @ Pokerstars, no reads on other players



PRE-FLOP
BN = Hero (stack $62.18)
SB = Villain (stack $40.22)


Folds to Hero on the Button, Hero opens to $1.50 with
SB 3! to $5.00
BB folds

Pot $7.00

Action on Hero ($60.68)
Hero Calls $3.50



FLOP
Flop comes
V leads for half-pot $4.99 ($30.48 left)


Pot ~$15
Action on Hero ($57.20)
Hero calls $4.99?


TURN
Turn comes
Board is now

V($30.48) instantly checks to Hero($52.19)

Pot $19.46

Action on Hero
Hero bets 80%, $15.57
Villain jams for $30.48, bringing the pot to $65.51
Hero is facing a call of $14.91, I don't think you ever fold here with top two?

The River

Spoiler

Villain shows
The river comes

 

[Legend5555]

Once you bet that size you can't fold to the jam. FWIW, I think he overplayed his hand.

 

[boltonguy]

I think you played it fine. I’d call the jam too with top two. Unfortunately he hit one of his outs. This combo is a tough one to play on these types of boards! I’ve been exactly here before with KJ.