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3 way pot in the LJ
It was my first time playing in the home game last night in probably a month and one hand really sticks out from the rest. I’ll give the hand history than I will discuss my decision points during the hand.
Level: 25/50 Ante 6
Stack Sizes (Start of Hand)
UTG (P1): 2 715 (54.3BB)
LJ (Hero): 4 178 (83.6BB)
BB (P2): 3 307 (66.1BB)
Pre Flop:
-Open from UTG (P1) to 120 (2.4BB)
-Folds to us (Hero) in the LJ with QDJC. We call
-Folds around to the BB (P2) who also calls
Total Pot Pre Flop: 439 (8.8BB)
Flop: 9C JD 10C
Stacks:
P1: 2 595 (51.9BB)
Hero: 4 058 (81.2BB)
P2: 3 237 (64.7BB)
-P2 leads for 50 (1BB)
-P1 raises (3 bet) to 270 (5.4BB)
-Hero cold calls 270 (5.4BB)
-P2 Calls
Turn: 2C Board: 9C JD 10C 2C
Total Pot: 1 249 (25BB)
Stacks:
P1: 2 325 (46.5BB)
Hero: 3 788 (75.8BB)
P2: 2 967 (59.3BB)
-P2 Checks
-P1 Bets 777 (15.5BB)
-Hero Folds
-P2 Calls
River: QS Final Board: 9C JD 10C 2C QS
Total Pot: 2 803 (56.1BB)
-P2 Shoves 2 190 (43.8BB)
-P1 Calls 1 548 (31BB)
Starting with pre flop. QDJC in the LJ facing an UTG open. Any reason for 3 betting? At the time I didn’t think it was good considering the UTG starting range however this is early so everyone is quite deep as you can see by the stack sizes. I decided to take a flop and see what happened. I find in these spots I’m always aware that someone can squeeze (most commonly from a player in the blinds) but I usually decide after I get raised based on who the player is, the size of the raise, and what position that particular player is in.
This flop is a good one! I was quite happy to see this board because I have so much going on with my hand. I’ve got top pair with a decent kicker, an up and down straight draw and a backdoor flush draw. I have 2 significant blockers and position so things are looking good. However nothings ever easy with this poker thing and the P2 leads for 1BB. I had minimal reads on the P2 but the UTG player is very solid and I know him as one of the better players in the game. (I’m trying really hard not to call anyone out lol). So when P1 3-bets my alarm bells are going off. As we do I try and imagine what the UTG range might look like. I’m thinking P1 has all the overpairs, sets, kq and ax nut flush draws. He is representing a very narrow range and has a lot of nutted combos. So is this where I went wrong? Can I just fold even when I have this much going on with my hand? I didn’t give P2 very much respect in this situation I was fully focused on P1, however him calling the 3-bet after I cold called definitely affected my decision making.
On the turn is where it really gets dicey. My backdoor flush comes in… Now what do I do?! The best thing about this hand is that I’m in position. The BB checks which I somewhat expected (I didn’t think he would lead again after a raise and a cold call when he is out of position to 2 other players). This is when P1 makes this large 3/4 size bet on the turn. My first thought is SPR. The sizing is so that I think if one of us (Hero or P2) call it makes an easy shove for P1 with about 31BB provided no flush card comes. Which was another one of my considerations. Everyone will know when that 4th flush card hits. Every player can see it so it’s going to be hard for us to realize our equity on the river if our flush does come in.
My first move was to hit the max button for an all in. But something stopped me. What the heck is P1 betting this turn with? And am I even going to win if my flush gets there? Oh and I still lose to all the sets and overpairs which I think P1 is fully capable of playing this way. So with my timebank ticking away and almost gone I smash the fold button.
So what does everyone think? I will post the results of the hand after I get some feedback but I try not too look at results too hard. Whose jamming the turn? Who folds flop or even pre flop? This was a fun hand to play and I look forward to more head scratchers
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1 Reply
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Preflop:
Facing an UTG raise, holding QdJc in LJ this deep (>50bbs eff) my default is to fold. Read is that UTG is a solid player so opening range should be tight. From the LJ, with 5 players left to act, I don’t continue with many offsuit hands. I prefer a 3bet over a call. The call invites in other players (especially button and the blinds). QJo doesn’t play well multi-way.
Flop:
After BB leads small, UTG raises. The bet of 1bbs into a pot of 8.8bbs is small and I would treat it like a check. I think that UTG is looking at it the same way. So UTG raise is basically like a standard cbet.
Hero with top pair/good kicker with a open-ended straight draw has an easy call. UTG could be ahead with overpairs (AA, KK, QQ) or top pair with better kicker (AJ, KJ). But even against these hands, Hero has plenty of equity.
Turn:
With the 2c on the turn, the flush draw just came in. UTG bet is polarizing. UTG is betting into 2 players that could have been on a FD as played.
In position, with a top pair and draws, I like a call from Hero. Holding Jc, Hero does block alot of made flushes (AcJc, KcJc, QcJc). UTG may continue betting holding just a single high card club. (AcAx, KcKx, AcKx, AxKc). Having the Q blocker, also blocks the straight (KQ).
River:
Qs is a very interesting card. Hero now has two pair. But any Kx or 8x has a straight. Value hands that Hero loses to: KK, QQ, JJ, TT, 99, 88, Kx (includes AK, KQ, KJ, KT), AcXc (includes Ac5c)
Hands that Hero beats. AcQx (which Hero blocks), AcAx, AcJx, AcTx
I haven’t done the math. But this looks like a fold given the number of nutted hands that UTG has in their range. If we think UTG is capable of bluffing with all combinations of AcX and turning weaker two pairs into bluffs, then this may be a close call.
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