KJs on the button, deep. (1 Viewer)

[DrStrange]

Hero has been splashing around a few time and getting out of line. It sometimes leads to trouble. . . . This hand is months old, been saving it for my splashing around project.

Playing 1-2 live seven handed. The game is about five hours old. We have mostly winners left, a couple of big losers are flat broke and gone home. What once was a festival of crazy has become a feisty card game. There are still some soft spots.

Cast of characters:

UTG is a young skilled LAG, playing $1,000+. On his good nights, he is the best player at the table. He often can't deliver his "A" game but tonight he can.

MP we have Crafty. I think he is closing in on a $1,000 of buy-ins but he is making a comeback playing $450

Hero has the button playing $650. It has been a good night for Hero. Hero has been on the happy side of lady luck when the big money went in and able to fold when things went wrong. Hero has shown down KK and AA after big three-bets, I'd say his table image is strong.

Old Man, Coffee is playing the small blind with $400. He had a slow start, but picked up as the losers made desperation plays. He has reached the point where he is nursing his stack looking for the end of the night. If he takes strong action, believe it.

The Ultimate Calling Station has the big blind playing close to $2,000. This is what getting hit in the face by the deck looks like. Best hand for the big blind - he calls a $75 3-bet preflop cold with 85o and flops a straight. Needless to say, no one saw that coming. (lucky for hero, he was only a spectator.)

The hand:

Young LAG UTG opens for $7. That is his normal open, nothing like the rest of the table. Crafty calls while making a wise ass comment.

The rest fold bringing us to Hero, who holds Action on Hero, fold, call or raise? If raising, how much?

DrStrange

 

[Anthony Martino]

Just call. We have the button and positional advantage with a hand that can get you into trouble when it's dominated. I don't feel comfortable re-opening the betting, and given Ultimate Calling Station in the blinds even if we raise I expect he'll call, and that will result in LAG and Crafty coming along, so then you're playing a very bloated pot with a medium-strength holding that can flop 2nd best quite often.

I want to keep the pot size manageable, not re-open the betting and get blown off our holding, etc.

 

[joker80]

Call

 

[MegaTon44]

I agree with Anthony. With The Ultimate Calling Station in the BB, popping it here could start a pissing contest, which is not ideal given that TUCS has triple Hero's stack and is on a major heater. KJs is a decent hand in position at a 7-handed table, but Hero doesn't want to get too fiesty and get committed early against some big stacks.

Call and re-evaluate the action if BB 3-bets.

 

[trever]

When the best player at the table raises UTG, it isn't a sin to fold. Personally, I'm never folding for just one raise, I'm calling and hoping that the blinds come along for the ride.

 

[DrStrange]

I'd say the UTG raise is mostly ignoring position. His range is not much tighter in bad position than late position.

In this guy's case, arrogance > position. On his best days, that point of isn't unfounded.

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

I'd flat here like 90% of the time and raise 10% of the time. So roll a 20 sided die, and if 19 or 20 shows up, make it $31.

 

[DrStrange]

Could I just flip a coin and raise any time it was heads four times in a row?

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

That's like 6% of the time, plus you're more likely to give off tells. I think you can roll a die a little more discretely.

 

[DrStrange]

Hey! I like the idea of flipping a coin publicly and using it to make decision about how to play poker. I like it so much, I'd keep a plate full of lucky coins so everyone could have the same advantage.

 

[MegaTon44]

Might as well keep a rack of oreos at the table too, just for those tough decisions.

 

[MikesDad]

Harrington say he uses the second hand of his watch for random decisions... what's a watch?

 

[MegaTon44]

It's like a small cell phone that's frozen on the lock screen.

 

[Anthony Martino]

I always wanted to get one of those tiny magic 8-balls and then say "are you bluffing?" and shake it, turn it over and say "my sources say yes!" as I ship my chips into the middle

 

[detroitdad]

Its boring to just call. Hard to argue it. I concur. Just call.

 

[DrStrange]

*** Not boring ***

Hero raises, makes it $25 to go. ($18 raise into a $24 pot.)

Everything happens as expected. No one is 4-betting Hero without a top 1% hand or better. Old Man, Coffee folds, everyone else calls. Four way action, $101 in the pot. Hero has

Flop is

Three checks to Hero. Check or bet? If betting, how much? Maybe not too much of a decision.

DrStrange

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

$66

 

[MegaTon44]

75% of the pot, so $75 to go

 

[Anthony Martino]

Hero likely has the best hand but pretty wet flop, I'd expect a lot of these guys love to chase their draws so I don't expect them to fold. I'd lead in the $60-75 range

 

[detroitdad]

75% of the pot, so $75 to go

This was the first number that came into my head.

 

[DrStrange]

*** and now it gets hard ***

Hero bets $70. The Ultimate Calling Station folds (go figure). Crafty and the UTG LAG calls.

Three way action, $311 in the pot. Hero has

Turn is < >

UTG bets $200. Crafty ponders a bit, asks UTG if he really has it, and then jams all in for $355 in total or $155 on top (dead raise)

Action on Hero. He owes $355 and will have $200 back after calling. Assuming UTG calls the $155, there will be $1,376 in the pot with $200 more from Hero and UTG at risk.

Now what? Fold, call or raise all-in?

DrStrange

 

[Anthony Martino]

Fold. Two players with this much action looks like one flush and maybe pair plus nut flush draw

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

Barf fold. The do you have it shove is always the nuts.

 

[MegaTon44]

Though you should snap fold, definitely tank for a minute, mutter under your breath that you have top 2, then muck gloriously.

 

[slisk250]

Barf fold. The do you have it shove is always the nuts.

yup

 

[BGinGA]

shove, hit king on the river, profit.

Works against chippy most of the time, online anyways......

 

[DrStrange]

Any hope that the side pot could someone generate enough equity to make the call ok? We are dealing with LAGs after all - not Old Man, Coffee.

 

[MegaTon44]

I couldn't call, but that's me. Like Chippy said, the "do you have it" question would have me running. I actually put Crafty on a small set that he just realized he played too slow. I would put UTG LAG on a high pair with a big flush draw.

If this were heads up, Hero could consider making a play, but I don't think that both of them are weak enough for 2 pair to take it down.

 

[DrStrange]

You know - that is really close to the way it was. . . .DrStrange

 

[moojersey]

Thank God that you are on the button, look at your hand in disgust, and muck it. I can't imagine that hero has the best hand or decent equity at this point ... especially after crafty makes his monologue in the middle of 3 way action. Worst case scenario you have 4 outs on the river. Board is too soaking wet to put your stack at risk.

Crafty has a set, or turned a really good combo draw I think. Small chance he has a baby flush kind of hand. Maybe Crafty binked the turn with KK and is genuinely unsure. Seems like he likes the though.

After leading for $200 into 2 players I doubt UTG is folding for $155 more. I think he put himself in a bad spot leading out. He probably has the nut flush draw to fall back on. Def at least a big heart to lead out either or in his hand.