$3 MTT: Final 3 - QT with straight draw in position.
Situation: I'm in the final 3 as the chip leader. I am on the button and I have T♣ Q♦. I have a tight image so I raise and get called by the SB.
I do a 1/3 pot bet on the flop after a check and get called.
On the turn, comes a 9 so I get an open ended straight draw. Just curious about options here after another check from villian. The options and thoughts I have are:
A) check
B) bet 1/3 pot, similar to my flop bet
C) bet 1/2 pot, to let him know I have a hand and push him off.
What do you guys think?
PokerStars - 4000/8000 Ante 1000 NL - Holdem - 3 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
BB: 13.48 BB
Hero (BTN): 37.82 BB
SB: 24.44 BB
3 players post ante of 0.13 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB
Pre Flop: (pot: 1.87 BB) Hero has T♣ Q♦
Hero raises to 2.5 BB, SB calls 2 BB, fold
Flop: (6.37 BB, 2 players) 2♥ 3♣ J♦
SB checks, Hero bets 2.23 BB, SB calls 2.23 BB
Turn: (10.84 BB, 2 players) 9♥
SB checks, Action is to Hero. What is the best action here?
7 Replies
Just depends on how we range him. I was curious myself and the closest spot I found in GTO Wiz has SB flatting basically 0% in this dynamic. If we think he has a lot of medium PPs then this is a mandatory barrel 6-7 bigs. If we don't think he has those then he just has Jx and we need to check back.
I lean towards checking back. You can put a lot of ICM pressure on the SB with a bet, but the problem is that the stack sizes are such that you'll likely get jammed on a lot. Then you pretty much have to fold a lot of equity which isn't ideal.
I prefer to bet here with hands like a KT gutshot or very weak flush draws that have outs, but don't mind folding if they get jammed on. I also bet with my made hands and some very strong draws like QT of hearts that can call off a jam.
Checking back with QTo also keeps in the weaker parts of their range, so you're more likely to be good if you hit a queen or ten on the river.
Thanks for the feedback guys. Ya the check back does make sense given so many river cards give me a made hand. And it makes sense to bet when I have less equity like a KT gutshot and also with a very strong draw that I can call off with like if I was holding QT hearts.
Since you're down to final 3 you must have some sense of villain's tendencies, so that's important. Is this call out of character?
Given the ICM risk I agree with checking behind on the turn. Getting x/r there would be gross and you don't want to end up losing a big pot here.
I'm going with C, bet half pot size on the turn. Though I probably make it 60% pot (so 3x flop bet size more or less)
I like the flop c-bet sizing given our range is only slightly better than SB's calling range on this flop.
Because the turn improves our hand I prefer to bet again. If we are always checking back when we have missed we become easy to play against short handed.
It is possible SB has Jx or a PP. It is also possible SB has hands like AXs/KQ/54s/64s/65s/K2s/K3s and will fold to a turn bet
I believe we have to be bluffing in a balanced way and for me that includes basically all semi bluffs.
Mr. Rick:
We 'have to be bluffing in a balanced way'. We also have to be checking back in a balanced way. If you have no strong draws when you check back, you are vulnerable to straight/flush completing cards when you do check back...
Checking back turn doesn’t stop us from betting river when we connect (or when our range connects).
As others have said, it would be terrible to have to fold to a x/raise when we have a draw to the nuts.
