25NL Blind vs Blind

[Ravelord]

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($43.75)
MP ($39.83)
Button ($26)
SB ($19.50)
Hero (BB) ($25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, J
3 folds, SB bets $1, Hero calls $0.75

Flop: ($2) 6, 2, J (2 players)
SB bets $1.50, Hero calls $1.50

Turn: ($5) 8 (2 players)
SB bets $3.25, Hero calls $3.25

River: ($11.50) A (2 players)
SB bets $7, Hero folds

Total pot: $11.50 | Rake: $0.57


So the SB raised ur BB, u got a decent hand and u decided to play it and call his raise.
U flop top pair, he cbets. What should you do in this situation? I decided to call his two cbets but after the nasty river and his bet I folded the hand. Should I raise the flop?

[RnoTheKing]

What do you think a flop raise would accomplish? Folding out hands you beat and getting dominated by his calling range. I would play the flop and turn the same and maybe call the river but thats player dependent.

[Ravelord]

Well basically if I would raise his cbet on the flop I would cf the turn if he calls or fold the flop if he reraises me. At least then I got some information regarding his hand and I would take the pot down if he folds to my raise on the flop... Now it's just playing in the dark imo. The villain is a LAG so I decided not to call his river bet.

[RnoTheKing]

So you hope to take it down by raising him (risking more money), what do you think he'll do with his missed hands on the turn?

[AdrienD]

Originally Posted by Ravelord

Well basically if I would raise his cbet on the flop I would cf the turn if he calls or fold the flop if he reraises me. At least then I got some information regarding his hand and I would take the pot down if he folds to my raise on the flop... Now it's just playing in the dark imo. The villain is a LAG so I decided not to call his river bet.

You are assuming he will only continue with hands that beat you if you raise flop. I don't think it is correct to assume that mainly because I have often abused this type of thinking by 3betting air on dry boards vs TAG villains.

On the flop calling is best option, turn and river is player dependent. Against most calling turn is fine too cause they can still be betting 6x/8x/77/99/TT for protection & to not get floated.
Some villains will also double barrel bluff here trying to get you to fold A hi and pairs smaller than J.
On the river villains range is polarized to Ax+/air so if you think he bets alot of air/draws/weak pairs (2x/6x/33/44/55) on the turn, you have to call the river.

What I also do sometimes but I like to do it more on draw heavy boards is raise the turn IP for a free showdown. A raise to 2.5x/3x that still gives them OK odds if they have a draw but makes them fold their air and smallest pairs.
This is obviously for value and is cheaper than calling down as it stops them from valuebetting better top pairs on the river (they will often check to you fearing 2 pair+).
But on this board where there aren't many draws I feel that calling is more +EV.

[Aji89]

nh assuming no stats/reads on villain.

I'd be 3 betting pre from time to time though.

[TRD23]

The problem with this hand is preflop - calling here is fine - but calling here without a plan is a big mistake.

Our plan should not be - he raised, ok I have a decent hand I call.

Most of the time you should just be 3 betting here to take it down - if calling then you have to have a clear understanding of what you are planning to do postflop.

Are you calling because he likes to cbet and you plan on floating?

Are you calling because he has a wide range and is aggro and you hope to hit a hand that dominates his and extract value?