September 2009 Community Question #2

[LvOverRide]

I was asked to stick this hand here, so here I will stick it. I'm going to add in a little more information than I did in the OP.

#6

This hand is sort of standard, but still worth taking a look at I suppose. Villain is a fairly aggressive multi-tabling regular. Hero has been very active but has not shown down a lot of hands.


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($71.25)
UTG ($56.50)
Hero ($135.20)
Button ($53.55)
SB ($89.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 8, 8
1 fold, Hero bets $1.50, 1 fold, SB calls $1.25, BB calls $1

Flop: ($4.50) 6, K, 8 (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $3, 1 fold, BB calls $3

Turn: ($10.50) K (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $8, BB calls $8

River: ($26.50) 10 (2 players)
BB checks

How much are we betting here, and why? Remember that the BB's stack size at this point is $58.75.

Also, what does the villain's hand look like?

[Barry Greenstein]

First let's get rid of irrelevant cases. Most people don't understand this concept, but full houses by villain are all pretty irrelevant because I bet, he shoves, I call.

If he has a busted straight draw, then I want to bet real small to let him try to check-raise bluff me. If he has a pair of nines or jacks, then I want to bet what I think he will call, based on my experience with him. For most people, this is nearly the size of the pot. If he has a KQ or KJ, I want to bet the size of the pot.

So against a tricky player, especially one who might raise me preflop with JJ, I would bet $6 to induce a check-raise bluff or a raise with KQ or KJ or 9-7. Against a passive calling station, I bet the pot.

Online against a guy playing a lot of games I would be less inclined to make the small bet than I would in a live setting, because your opponent won't have as much time to come up with a big check raise play as he would in a live setting.

Barry