Pre flop check up posts.
I thought it would be helpful to start an ongoing thread where people can post pre flop situations they have questions about. I realize that what once may have been a fold could be a call these days. Hopefully we can hone in on what the winners are doing these days
Provide relevant reads, position, image, number of players, what game etc. If you can explain the reasoning behind your response that would be great.
I'll start with a couple. 8/16 9 handed. My image is tight but capable of opening or isolating lightly.
Hand 1) loose UTG limps, Loose CO calls, I have Kd4d on the button. Blinds are TAGs.
Hand 2) loose UTG limps, tight and st forward post flop HJ raises(88+ AQ+ KJs+ ATs+), very loose and big time calling staton calls in CO, folded to us in SB with Ac6c. BB is tight.
I'm hoping this can be a place where anytime you run into that marginal spot you can post it and learn.
Thanks!
This is limit hold 'em. The worst thing that happens when you 3-bet is someone wakes up with a big hand behind you and you get 4-bet. And not only is that not any worse than if you had opened and got 3-bet, it's a substantially better spot for you.
Sitting next to a bad LAG is absolutely a great position. In a lot of games, people will not 4-bet (and if possible, 5-bet) much if any lighter, even though both you and the LAG should have substantially wider ranges than normal. So, you're often in position against a bad player in a big pot and often you're folding out hands even better than your own.
Of course, this is a high variance table dynamic, and especially so when people do appropriately reraise and/or if the LAG likes to reraise. And I agree navigating big pots with weakish ranges is uncomfortable for a lot of players. That's part of what makes it profitable. Just gotta embrace the positive variance.
Of course, if the hands are going off multiway, you should tweak your ranges so you are playing hands with more durable equity. But you should still be widening your 3b range.
one passive limper, very laggy guy opening 40-50% raises HJ, you have K8s OTB. blinds are loose.
whats the earliest you open K9s?
About 9:30
It's folded to the CO who open limps. He is a reg who plays ok post flop but is too loose pre. He is limping a lot of suited hands and small pocket pairs. He could have hands like KJo. The blinds are both very loose pre flop. What do you do with these holdings on the button?
K9o
56s
44's
K9o fold.
Pocket fours I probably raise but folding or calling can’t be too bad.
56s even though I hate limping limping might be best option.
It's folded to the CO who open limps. He is a reg who plays ok post flop but is too loose pre. He is limping a lot of suited hands and small pocket pairs. He could have hands like KJo. The blinds are both very loose pre flop. What do you do with these holdings on the button?
K9o
56s
44's
With loose blinds behind raising with these doesn't seem like a good option. Folding the k9o, limping with the other 2.
It's folded to the CO who open limps. He is a reg who plays ok post flop but is too loose pre. He is limping a lot of suited hands and small pocket pairs. He could have hands like KJo. The blinds are both very loose pre flop. What do you do with these holdings on the button?
K9o
56s
44's
Fold, raise, raise
I agree with folding K9o. What's your reasoning for raising the other two? I like it if I think I can get heads up. It's likely with two loose blinds that this is gonna end 4 ways.
I’m playing my range/position and I’m also fine going 4 ways against two ranges that contain a lot of garbage. If we take the principle of exploitation too far we end up exploiting ourselves by giving people way too much control over our button.
Do I love it? Nah it’s marginal. But I think we are pushing an edge here.
It's folded to the CO who open limps. He is a reg who plays ok post flop but is too loose pre. He is limping a lot of suited hands and small pocket pairs. He could have hands like KJo. The blinds are both very loose pre flop. What do you do with these holdings on the button?
K9o
56s
44's
I raise all three but recognize that raising K9o is probably a mistake here. To be clear, this guy is open limping the CO with small pocket pairs and hands like KJo? I see a ton of people limp these hands in early/mid position, but it's quite rare for me to see anyone open limp these hands in late position unless they are incredibly bad at poker.
Loose passive game ATM. 4 limpers, I am in the SB. BB is only raising with KK+ and probably not even that.
A2o, am I seeing a flop?
Same game SB , 3 limpers,
A8o?
Yes especially if you play reasonably well after the flop. You’re getting 10 to 1.
Loose passive game ATM. 4 limpers, I am in the SB. BB is only raising with KK+ and probably not even that.
A2o, am I seeing a flop?
Same game SB , 3 limpers,
A8o?
A2o is a pretty horrible hand but if you are absolutely sure bb won’t raise then I don’t mind it. Definitely folding when it gets back to me if he raises though.
A8 is an easy limp though
A2o is a pretty horrible hand but if you are absolutely sure bb won’t raise then I don’t mind it. Definitely folding when it gets back to me if he raises though.
A8 is an easy limp though
I complete both. I actually prefer A2 in this spot because it can flop gutshots, but I’m not excited about either hand (especially if BB raises).
Assuming 4 chip 2 chip game, you are getting 11 to 1 I’m not folding a lot
Probably any two cards but I typically fold junk like 92o which might be wrong.
Anything suited or anything that can flop a straight. I’m not folding an ace but this like K2 I usually let go
Anything suited or anything that can flop a straight. I’m not folding an ace but this like K2 I usually let go
My rule is any ace, any king, any two suited, and any two cards that can flop a straight. Perhaps I should fold stuff like 62o or 84o but I'd rather err on the side of seeing more flops in a passive game with bad players.
