NL50: 3bet+cbet didn't work, wtf his donkbet mean?

[podbelski]

I've just sat at the table, looked up the villain @PTR and decided to mess with him
jullenisen2 Poker Player Ranking and Stats at Full Tilt Poker

Seems like a very loose LAG, so I decided to 3bet - maybe 1st time he will give credit to unknown - but he called. I flopped nothing, and made a desperate cbet.

My questions are:
1. do you think calling pre is better than 3betting in this spot?
2. what do you think he has? mid PP?
3. would you ever try to bluff him off?


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop

Hero (CO) ($50)
Button ($51.15)
SB ($14.80)
BB ($50)
UTG ($55)
MP ($88.85)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9, 7
1 fold, MP bets $1.50, Hero raises to $5.25, 3 folds, MP calls $3.75

Flop: ($11.25) 2, 5, A (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $6.50, MP calls $6.50

Turn: ($24.25) 4 (2 players)
MP bets $13, Hero ?

[kabasn]

I'm not sure what the standard 3bet is at the site you're playing at, but 5.25 doesn't seem like a "please call me"-sort of 3bet. His turn donkbet he is representing a straight, but I can't see him calling on the flop with anything else than A3. I'd give up on the turn, seeing how he is very loose.

[podbelski]

5.25 = pot-sized raise here

I see his line reps so many hands, it seems to be that spot where it's better to just fold without a hand...

[given1982]

I think this hand is played well if you folded the turn. He has something better than 9 high and is probably not folding very often.

[podbelski]

One more thing. I've heard an opinion that A-high boards are good for barreling in general, cause you rep any possible monster hand, but the opp who's calling down rarely has smthing big.

If the UTG checked the turn, do you give up or 2nd barrel is a viable option? 3rd barrel?

[urbansprawler]

A-high boards are terrible to barrel.

[Qgel]

I don't like 3betting loose players with suited connectors. Given your read that he's loose you should expect him to defend somewhat loosely to 3bets. But your play is definitely good to make once in a while since he -should- give you a lot of credit.

Postflop is standard. He usually has either Ax or 3x when he donks this turn and maybe randomly some mid pair "seeing where it's at" but you cannot even consider making a play with your hand even if he did check since you usually have 0 equity in the pot at this point, and we can't really expect him to fold anything except some mid pocket pairs but I expect most of those to fold on the flop.

Oh and listen less of such general crap as "A high boards are good for barrelling". When? Against what opponents? what about the other cards on the board? what about our image? What about our equity? etc etc. Stating something this general is utterly useless. Grab those people by the balls and make them answer all the other questions

[podbelski]

Well, the phrase about barreling A-high was from a very good player who actually says what you did, like no simple solution blah blah blah.

Maybe I put it simplified here, his words were closer to the following:
in general, barreling is good on "static" boards, i.e. boards that are likely to retain the same level of scariness, and A/K-high dry boards are often the good option. You can easily rep all the nutted hands in your range, at the same time the opp should have his range "capped".

Something like this. I can see an example like you open from MP and the blind calls, and you fire flop/turn on AT575-rainbow board, and he's check-calling and checks river to you, so it is very unlikely he has strong ace or better, and you are repping everything credibly. So, with additional reads and gameflow stuff, it might become a good spot for 3 bullets, note that you should think about this decision right on the flop.

On the contrary btw, boards that can become nasty (increase scariness) are good for floating.

It's not that you should float/barrel any time you see a "proper" board, rather it's just one of the several reasons you should be considering if you are thinking about making a play in some spot.

That's my understanding.

[Qgel]

Yup, that makes perfect sense but you wanna choose those spots carefully against opponents who can actually read hands and fold. In a lot of cases bluffing people off top pair or better is a bad idea.

[podbelski]

I'm never trying to push anyone off (good) top pair. I know this is possible, but given the risk combined with my level of handreading I'm sure it's not worth it.