Stuck in the Middle: Playing Big Pockets 3 handed
I've had a number of hands over the last few weeks that have fallen into this pattern and I'm not really pleased with how I've played any of them.
First hand: B&M 1/2. I'm in LP with [Ad, Ah] and about $235. EP player is tight or else has been getting terrible hands, since he hasn't played more than three hands since I sat down. MP player is an idiot and loves to limp or call with big pairs, and in fact just busted to two pair because he limped with pocket aces. EP has about $360 and MP player has $105. EP raises to $10, MP calls and I re-raise to $30, both call. Pot = $93. Flop comes [8d 5x 4y]. EP checks and without hesitation MP moves all in for $75. What's your move?
Second hand: B&M 5/5. I'm in LP with [Qh, Qs] and about $880. EP player plays enough that I've got him filed in my mental Rolodex as a casino regular, but not well (or badly) enough that I remember anything else about him. Button player is another regular and a total gambler. While he loves to chase draws, he also plays very, very aggressively and will try to buy pots. MP has ~$600 and Button ~$1100.
MP raises to $25, I go to $50, both Button and MP call. Pot = $165. Flop comes [Qd Jx 8d]. MP checks, I bet $100, Button re raises to $250 and MP calls. Again, how would you play it?
Third hand: B&M 5/5. I'm in EP with [Kc, Kd] and $655. MP player is an idiot, I've watched him lose about $600 in the three sessions since I sat down. LMP player is fond of making "big moves" at the table and loves to show his clever play afterwards. Basically, he's a show off and prefers not to play straightforwardly. MP ~$300 and LMP ~$1300.
I raise in EP to $20, only MP and LMP call. Pot = $70. Flop is [Ad 7h 6h]. I bet $35 and both call. Pot is now =$205. Turn makes it [Ad 7h 6h Ac]. Check or bet?
First hand: B&M 1/2. I'm in LP with [Ad, Ah] and about $235. EP player is tight or else has been getting terrible hands, since he hasn't played more than three hands since I sat down. MP player is an idiot and loves to limp or call with big pairs, and in fact just busted to two pair because he limped with pocket aces. EP has about $360 and MP player has $105. EP raises to $10, MP calls and I re-raise to $30, both call. Pot = $93. Flop comes [8d 5x 4y]. EP checks and without hesitation MP moves all in for $75. What's your move?
Second hand: B&M 5/5. I'm in LP with [Qh, Qs] and about $880. EP player plays enough that I've got him filed in my mental Rolodex as a casino regular, but not well (or badly) enough that I remember anything else about him. Button player is another regular and a total gambler. While he loves to chase draws, he also plays very, very aggressively and will try to buy pots. MP has ~$600 and Button ~$1100.
MP raises to $25, I go to $50, both Button and MP call. Pot = $165. Flop comes [Qd Jx 8d]. MP checks, I bet $100, Button re raises to $250 and MP calls. Again, how would you play it?
Third hand: B&M 5/5. I'm in EP with [Kc, Kd] and $655. MP player is an idiot, I've watched him lose about $600 in the three sessions since I sat down. LMP player is fond of making "big moves" at the table and loves to show his clever play afterwards. Basically, he's a show off and prefers not to play straightforwardly. MP ~$300 and LMP ~$1300.
I raise in EP to $20, only MP and LMP call. Pot = $70. Flop is [Ad 7h 6h]. I bet $35 and both call. Pot is now =$205. Turn makes it [Ad 7h 6h Ac]. Check or bet?
Comments
Smooth call. Your hand is likely best and you might as well keep the EP around if you can. Highly unlikely he is playing 76, 55 or 44. Maybe 88 but I'm guessing AK, KK, QQ or JJ.
Over 800 in the pot, you want to take this down NOW. *If* you can. LP could be on a draw, make him pay. Unlikely anyone has 98 but even if they do, you have outs! I'd push the rest in now.
Scary if these guys love to play Ace-rag. What would lead these guys to call your flop bet? An Ace, 77, 66, 2 hearts or maybe a straight draw. If you put out a half pot bet, MP will call with any shot at a hand that beats you, LMP is the wildcard. Chances are one of these guys will call, then what do you do on the river? I don't like your chances on this.
Push all in. Easy push for me.
Again I would push here. Really make the draw cost a lot. If you lose. It's going to be a bad beat story.
I would check here. I think one of these guys has an ace.
1) There ain't many hands that a tight player would raise pre-flop with here that scare you, but a number that you're currently dominating at this point. The Board is a rainbow and I can't see it giving any draws to a player you classify as tight. MP's all-in so you're no longer worried about him, so I *think* can play it as if it's just the two of you in the hand (having, of course, to factor MP's money into pot odds)
I call the $75 hoping EP continues in the hand with me. If he has AK, AQ, you really want him to catch up. With the range of hands I put on a tight player here, it's gotta be +EV for him to continue in the hand with you. If EP then comes over the top you then have a harder decision. Does he have a set or just an overpair?
2) At the decision point, I'm facing a bet of $150 into a pot of $765. MP has $300 left, so he's going nowhere, Button has $800 left. The point of this hand that bugs me the most is the smooth call of $250 by MP for almost half his stack. His not going in and a smooth call of almost half his stack, makes it sounds like he has a monster and doesn't want to lose you, or is on a draw. (Of course, if he were on a draw, I'd almost expect a push here to isolate himself with the Button, esp if he has an over card.)
Still you have top set (but on a very scary board). If you're already beat you have a 15% chance of improving (pairing the board or catching your Q) on the turn and a 22% chance of improving on the river. (Total chance ~ 19% of doing this) If you're currently ahead, then you're doing even better.
I have to believe your equity here is pretty good. I push, hoping to knock out a drawing Button, but realized that both may likely cal. Still, that MP smooth call, REALLY bothers me.
3) I dump this cause I'm on tilt from losing all my money in 1) and 2).
Should you have bet more on the flop to represent the Ace? (ie. sending the message, "I have an Ace and am going to give draws a really bad price) Tough spot. If you're ahead you don't want the draws to catch, but if you're behind you want to lose as little money as possible.
This one is really yucky. Everytime I pick a strategy, I find a big hole in it. So, my answer is based entirely on your reads (not actually what I'd do)
MP is an idiot: I want him in the hand, cause over time, I'll make money off him. Sure, idiots can catch Aces, but he's an idiot.
LMP makes big moves: LMP has called intending to try to take the pot down with a bluff on the turn, or he has an Ace and is trying to bluff.
I check the turn, "concendeing" defeat, and will check-fold the river if LMP checks the turn (still trapping me with his Ace), or re-raise LMP if he bets the turn (he's pulling off his tricky steal on the turn). Weather MP calls anything or not is irrelevent, cause he's an idiot, and the only player I need to be concerned with is LMP.
I'm sure I got all these wrong. Good thinking exercises though, some really tough decisions in there!
Hand #1 - I am all in with any overpair to this flop
Hand #2 - I would probably push all in worried that I was beat
Hand #3 - I would/have pushed all in in this case and lost money alwasy trying to "outplay" everybody.
Cheers,
Steve
I call. Any hand that EP could have that cannot beat my AA is will getting bad odds on this call of $75. I want him to call. I encourage him to call by simply calling myelf.
I move in.
I check. I think I'm beat. If I am not, there is a reasonable chance a worse hand will check behind me since it looks a little like I have a GIANT hand ... which I don't.