Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
Hi all!
Long time since I started a thread. The past few months have been crazy busy, with little time for poker and even less time for posting. I am hoping to update my blog shortly when I have a few spare moments... With little time for poker I have lost some feel for the game, and came across this situation and would like your input:
One of the players at the table was being very aggressive, and I felt was on tilt as his stack went down. With several players sitting out at this NL20 table, I get dealt QQ and raise 4.5bb to $0.90 hoping to hook and cook him. He raises to $3.00 and I'm starting to salivate when the small blind flat calls the raise to $3.00.
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
Posted by sadamman: How much has the SB got, that would be the thing I'd be thinking about because I'm deffo calling possibly coming over the top of them.
He had stacked someone and was sitting close to $40.00
Joined: Nov '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 67 (M)
Posts: 3361
you've got a re-raise and a call,looks dodgy to me.even so i would still call and see the flop you could hit and then you're laughing( i 'll assume ) all the way to the bank.
Joined: May '08
Location: Netherlands
Age: 53 (M)
Posts: 6197
Better post a handhistory Mahdrof its so much easier to read
Anyway without a HH i really cant do a flatcall after his reraise, i also dont like a raise to $10/$11 with 2 oponents still in the hand so i deffo go for the allin. If they both fold its ok, if i loose to AA/KK its really no problem for me cos i know i played EV+ If i loose to Arag i problably hunt for his wife and demand a refund.
This is a tough spot where it comes down to how you feel most comfortable playing. personally i might be going for a reraise here, but I donk off my stacks a lot like this. you said you didnt credit the guy in position for having anything. that just leaves the small blind to worry about. A-A or K-K in the sb here is a reraise so you can eliminate those hands from the equation. My first thought is that he has A-K or similar.
the second option is cold call and see a flop. If you do this you need to fold to over cards. actualy the more i think about it, this may be the right play.
It's kind of a hit or miss spot, but you cannot fold 2 queens preflop in this spot.
LET ME KNOW HOW THE HAND TURNED OUT because im super ocnfused on what these guys have
Joined: Mar '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 44 (M)
Posts: 6714
I have no problem losing a BI with QQ. SS is no concern, no doubt you are getting it in with better. SB is a little concerning, but with that manic he might be happy to lower his range against him, but why ignore your bet, why not isolate, TRAP!! when the whole table knows the re-raise is coming. Well, no guts no glory, cash game AI right there. The pot is worth going bust on...JAM IT BABY
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
Posted by WinAllDay: LET ME KNOW HOW THE HAND TURNED OUT because im super ocnfused on what these guys have
I have had very good advice in the past by posting hands like this on BRM, and am happy that two of the regs I respect greatly have already responded. This was an interesting hand and I will post the turn card tomorrow after some of the other BRM forum gang have had a chance to put in their two cents.
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
On micro stakes you're almost always behind.. Best case is flipping vs AK.
As the stakes go higher the decision with QQ becomes trickier as people become more capable of 3,4 betting lite. If you have no reason to think otherwise though, you should assume you're only beating/flipping the very bottom of their range.
Really depends on your read in this situation - the flat call is probably either somebody set-mining or otherwise playing AA/KK like a spazz.
My general rule of thumb for micros is that if I am 3bet it is QQ+/AK, until they show me otherwise.
------------ OOOPS! Just realised the original raiser is a shorty.. that does change things.. Possible 4bet to isolate, flat call doesn't look too strong. Maybe just shove it.
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 5712
Shoving looks a real option, or even a reraise. You have a strong starting hand and you may have something on him youre not letting on based on how he got his stack to where it was. All of the ionfo together as we know informs the right decision.
Joined: Feb '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1886
I would probably just call. The only reason I see for shoving would be to isolate the short-stack and only based on what you say about him being aggressive. Normally that kind of reraise suggests AK or a pocket pair to me. AK is definitely calling all-in and I prefer to avoid races in cash games, whilst AJ would probably fold so you miss out on a lot of equity by shoving. A pair of jacks is the only hand I could put him on that I'd want him to have but then again your knowledge of his play would change all this.
I also don't think the big stack would call with anything you're beating. I would hope he folds but then you would be risking all your stack with QQ. It's a nice hand but it is easily beaten three-handed and I'd rather not be all-in preflop with it. Calling isn't great because you are giving them opportunities to hit sets and overcards but I think you're more likely to get called by a worse hand on the flop. So right or wrong I would flat call.
I would shove because the caller plays like he has a 77 to JJ. The re-raiser can have anything from a suited connector to a pocket pair to a ace high since you said he was aggressive...
After all, there's only 2 hands that have you dominated, I really don't see how you can fold there. And smooth calling may be more risky than shoving if they don't have those 2 hands.
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
The more I think about it - the more I think I shove here is good: If shorty was ahead of QQ then he'd sure just shove it in over your raise - his flat call is bad regardless - but you have to assume you're ahead. And if the other caller is ahead of QQ then i think it's pretty likely they would raise/isolate themselves.
