Pocket sevens, middle possition (1 Viewer)

[DrStrange]

I have a couple of hands were Hero might be getting out of line. It leads to issues . . .

Playing 1-1 live, nine handed. It is midway through the session. This is an active session, there are several players at the table being generous or trying to anyway. Lots of fun tonight. I am trying to get poker nicknames to stick - so far the only one with hope is "cup cake".

Cast of characters:

First decision happens early enough that I'll wait till later to give out details. The table is quite loose, a mix between styles of aggression though.

Hero is playing $300. Its been a good night, a steady grind adding chips. The last couple of orbits Hero started getting more folds to his raises than desired, so maybe it is time to get a little out of line? They still call a lot, just not as much as before.

The hand:

Two limps bring us to Hero in middle possition. Hero has Fold, limp or raise? If raising how much? There isn't much of a standard preflop raise size, sometimes it is $3 other times it is $10.

DrStrange

 

[detroitdad]

I'm fine with either calling or raising. I'm definitely not folding at this point.

My take, raise to 5.

 

[DrStrange]

It would be a rare strategy thread where I'd post a hand where Hero folded to a limp preflop - maybe in a tournament thread where the stacks are shallow and the only important decision happens preflop. But I might once in a while, just to keep people honest.

 

[tripleflatbarrel]

Stack depth of limpers and field behind/ blinds? Particularly limpers?

The only way I'm limping is if limpers are short, or combo of field left to act & blinds are particularly short AND we can expect it to be limped through.

Assuming everyone has at least 100 BB I'm opening to 7

 

[DrStrange]

No one has folded yet, averge stack is $150, ranging from $60 to $500. Limpers are $90 and $200

 

[tripleflatbarrel]

I'm opening to 10 if $90 stack will limp fold.

If he's never folding I might actually just limp, as much as I hate it. If one of the bigger stacks opens behind I'll call.

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

I'm fine with limp or raise.

If you raise, you can "thin the herd" a little PF, plus you might be able to take down the pot after the flop, with a C-bet, if you miss your set.

Limp, and hit your set, and you can make someone pay, who's overplaying their TP.

I think you have flexibility here.

 

[acl1904]

Raise, make it $12.

 

[dickzapper]

Think I'd just limp it here. Too awkward of position, I feel like fishing for a set here and would rather have the rest of the table in the hand.

 

[BiGGyT]

fold because 77 is personal toxic waste dump cards, I pay for the clean out every time. Except against Mr. Tree, then I hit a set on the flop.

someone will raise if you do not, I probably would call and call a min raise, fold any larger raise.

 

[atomiktoaster]

someone will raise if you do not, I probably would call and call a min raise, fold any larger raise.

Very similar to my thoughts, but I'd call the standard open if it seems likely that you can get to the flop 4-handed or more. You don't want to be playing 77 heads up.

 

[DrStrange]

*** On to the flop ***

Hero raise to $6 and gets four callers. Button, CO, BB and UTG. Five way action, $32 in the pot. Hero has $300 and covers everyone, holding .

BB is a tricky trappy calling station playing $200. He tends to bet his hand, the rare time he bets, one or two streets late. Would much rather make less money if it means he could spring a trap on you.

UTG is playing $90, having lost a big chunk of money already. Hyper loose, weirdly split between calling station and overly aggressive. Has two betting tells, one is a micro bet that means weak or bad draw and an aggressive jam of an overly large bet that means bluffing/weak hand. You'll lose a lot of money to this villain on nights when he has the cards. On other nights, it is like he is showering the table with gifts.

CO is a sticky aggressive calling station with $60. Very loose and actually quite aggressive but she bets way way way too small, typically $2 to $5 no matter the pot size. It takes a while to come to grips with the idea her raises are such weird sizes.

Button is a loose-passive calling station who is trying to learn how to add aggression to her game. She is playing $125 and is behind for the session. She is the Queen of queens. I think she might play any hand with a queen in it.

Flop is .

BB and UTG check. Action on Hero, check or bet? If betting how much?

DrStrange

 

[acl1904]

Too many callers. Someone with a Q or diamond draw aren't likely to be going anywhere. Check it and hope to see a free card.

 

[moojersey]

Lets bet $16 and see where we are at / narrow the field

 

[tripleflatbarrel]

Check

 

[doakwolf]

Let's find out if the button really is the queen of queens. Bet half the pot. Long live the sevens.

 

[DrStrange]

*** Now what? ***

Hero bets $20. CO, BB and button fold. UTG raises all-in, a raise of $66 into a pot of $72. Action will be on Hero - fold or call?

UTG is playing $90, having lost a big chunk of money already. Hyper loose, weirdly split between calling station and overly aggressive. Has two betting tells, one is a micro bet that means weak or bad draw and an aggressive jam of an overly large bet that means bluffing/weak hand. You'll lose a lot of money to this villain on nights when he has the cards. On other nights, it is like he is showering the table with gifts.

He didn't pound his chips on the table, but the bet is as large as UTG can make it. Maybe it fits the betting tell?

So, what ever shall Hero do?

DrStrange

 

[atomiktoaster]

Hmmm, limp-call followed by check-jam? The issue is the huge part of the range that fits the betting tell (not the nuts, trying to shut out diamonds) but still has hero behind (AQ might not fit the play, but any other Q is pretty good at this point). Is the pf raise going to get villain to lay down Q3s every time? The other rough part of the range is 88+, and sets. What does Hero have beat here? Ax,66,33,22, KJ, KT? I say fold, and additionally think the bet was bigger than it needed to be ($15 would have done the same job).

 

[DrStrange]

Villain could hold Q3o or any other two cards. Not that he would bet them the same way, but he could.

 

[Trihonda]

I probably fold here, but based on your table read, and betting tells, I might be able to find a call, if I'm feeling gamboly

 

[Anthony Martino]

Pre-flop: limp if it's likely others behind you will limp. You want to set mine cheap against players that are likely to pay off when they make one pair

as played on Flop: check, the board is too wet. flush and straight draws (yeah, I know we have straight draw blockers) and with so many callers and the "queen of queens" in there, seems like it's time to slow down

all-in moment: Villian check-raised all-in with no fold equity given stack and pot sizes. I guess the good doc is wondering if villain may be doing this with a draw and thus we're still ahead and thus a call would be correct? If you feel Villians range is wide enough to do this move with draws or outright bluffs, then a call seems pretty obvious. If Villains range were tighter Hero should fold, but I think the doc makes a crying call here.

 

[Jambine]

.....Flop is .

BB and UTG check. Action on Hero, check or bet? If betting how much?

DrStrange

You got to see the flop with 77, and that is a great hand in a multi-way pot IF you flop a 7. The other great thing is that its easy to fold if you don't flop a set.
Gotta check and hope to see the turn for free

 

[moojersey]

I'm generally folding to a check-jam this big I think. How well do we know villain? Is this the oversized bluff? Could he have air? How gambly are we feeling? Does villain jam draws?

It's a bad spot verse most villains I think. Time to muck and move on.

 

[Anthony Martino]

It's a math and range problem. The pot is now $66 + $72 = $138. Hero must call $66 to win $138. So a little over 2:1 on our money. So we need around 33% equity for a call to be correct. If there's enough bluffs and semi-bluffs in villains range here, the call seems obvious

 

[tripleflatbarrel]

Fold

 

[AdamAAAA]

I always play low pairs dreadfully. Following with interest.

 

[acl1904]

Fold.

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

Fold

 

[kirchhausen]

preflop depending on who is after me I may limp or raise. In the one game I play that is extremely passive where I am pretty confident I get get a limp through i will, as I can outplay most post-flop at that game. Other games I may raise to 7.

Post flop against most players the check raise is an insta-fold. You obviously have history with UTG, so I will defer to your judgement in this specific case. You did mention "He didn't pound his chips on the table, but the bet is as large as UTG can make it. Maybe it fits the betting tell?" Does he ever check raise with this tell? Does the tell involve the slamming of the chips? If so, you noticed he did not do that, so maybe not a bluff? I mean, the raise is not outlandish, it is less than pot-size.

 

[tripleflatbarrel]

I think it's worth noting that we're blocking half of opponents OESD combos (8 combos of 67 left) assuming he's not limping 23. It's either Qx or Axdd with potentially two overs, which we're actually behind.