The Showdown

We are reaching the 1000bb threshold which means we need to be prepared to play some actual poker. Well, in this case, that mostly means street poker where every top pair is basically the nuts, but besides thin valuebetting we’ll only want to bet postflop in case we have some kind of equity – at this table betting with pure airballs (especially on the river) might not be a very profitable strategy.

Hand number 5: River Sizing

Starting point: Finally a hand where we can flat for a decent price preflop in position.
Dead raise to 4 from UTG

Hero BTN: T♣ 9♣

UTG +1 raises to 40, UTG+2 calls, Hero calls, BB calls

Flop: 9♠ 6♣ 7♠

UTG+1 bets 200, UTG+2 folds, Hero calls, BB folds

Turn: 3♦

UTG+1 checks, Hero checks

River: J♥

UTG+1 checks, Hero bets 280,

UTG+1 calls & shows 7ru 8ri – Hero scoops the pot with pair of nines.

Analysis: Preflop our most profitable options are either to 3bet or flat. Here we prefer flatting since having to call a large 4bet diminishes our positional value for the rest of the hand. On the flop our equity is good enough to flat for two streets (at least on a blank turn) – UTG+1 decides to check the turn, and we can rule out big draws at this point from his range. The most likely holdings he should take this line with have some type of a SD value like 6x or 7x, possibly 8x or 88. We check behind as our hand is a bit too weak to go for value on both the turn and the river.

On the river we have a clear value bet against a check, and we want to choose a sizing that can be called by any one pair hand containing a 6 or a 7. Betting 40-45% of the pot should do the job fine in this pot.

Hand number 6: Push the Equity

Hero SB: K♣ Q♣

UTG +1 raises to 10, UTG+2 calls, Hero raises to 52, SB calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds

Flop: 9♣ 7♣ 3♦

Hero bets 84, SB raises to 250, Hero goes all-in, SB calls remaining 700

Turn: J♣

River: 5♠

Hero shows second-nut Flush, SB mucks.

Analysis: Preflop our hand is strong enough to 3b and we want to go for value with any top pair postflop. SB coldcalls which is quite interesting – we can basically rule out the absolute preflop monsters from both his and UTG +1’s range. On the somewhat wet flop half pot sizing is okay, and we have way too much equity to not continue after SB’s raise. Flatting the SB’s raise OOP with little more than potsized bet left will make our hand hard to play, and by shoving over the top on the flop we get realize our whole equity in case SB calls us.

I lost one 3bet 3way pot with 9h 8h on the button, as BB coldcalled Tri 8ri. Luckily only 1 bet went in postflop. Before that though we had a HU 3bet pot in position:

Hand number 7: Game Theory Equilibrium

Dead raise to 4 from UTG

Hero BTN: 8♥ 5♥

Hero raises to 12, SB folds, BB raises to 42, UTG folds, Hero calls

Flop: J♣ 8♦ 6♥

BB bets 32, Hero calls

Turn: Q♣

BB checks, Hero checks

River: 5♠

BB bets 104, Hero raises allin, BB calls remaining 310

Hero shows rivered two pair, BB flashes AA and mucks.
Analysis: Our hand is the worst suited 8x we defend against 3b. The flop is a clear defend again in position with the middle pair + backdoor draws. On the turn we have some showdown value against A-highs or bluffs that didn’t improve enough in equity to bet the turn, so we check. The river bet looks like AQ, KQ or possibly a thin valuebet with Jx. We raise to get value from one pair hands.

The runbad from yesterday has turned upside down: