Struggling with overpairs at the micros

This exact spot is a tough one. Oftentimes when you have an overpair and get raised in these relatively deep spots it will turn into a bluff catcher that is indifferent from a solver's perspective. What that means is that you have to figure out whether your opponent is over bluffing or under bluffing. If they're over bluffing you call down and if they're under bluffing you fold. I would lean on whatever stats and reads you have on your opponent.

More generally I use SPR (stack to pot ratio) as a guide. That is the stack to pot ratio going to the flop. If I have less than 3X pot going to the flop I will usually just get it in with over pairs. If I have 3-5X pot going to the flop I will often get it in, but be a little more cautious if it's a scary board or under bluffed board or that kind of thing. If I have over 5X pot going to the flop I'm very selective about stacking off with an overpair. That doesn't mean I will never do it but I'm selective.

Now going back to your example, the SPR is approximately 3.4 by my quick math (17,000 pot / 58,000 effective). There are a ton of gut shots and backdoor type hands like JT c, s, or d. However we block a fair amount of these.

So considering some of these thoughts in addition to your own thoughts what do you think was the best play in the moment? I certainly wouldn't fault you if you called down on a safe turn and ran into a better hand.

I don't think you have enough information to fold this. He's probably not flatting pre with AA/KK, and he likely doesn't raise that flop with a set (especially such a large raise). Players will raise in spots like this with lots of hands you beat to pressure the Broadway part of your range.

Yeah, I agree.

In general, micro stakes players overplay their hands. Don't try to find reasons to fold. Trust your instincts, but an overpair on the flop to one raise doesn't seem sound.

+ this is a real micro. I expect many villains to grossly overplay hands like 9x here, not taking things like spr into account. And they will also have many more 9x here than they should. And more often than not slowplaying sets. So I would be inclined to call here.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Considering SPR, I certainly didn't feel too commited to the pot and that certainly helped my decision to fold. I also decided to fold because most warn of overall underbluffing at the microstakes. I've encountered some flopped straights that outright shoved to my bets on the flop holding overpairs and that backs up that theory.

I saw this fold as sort of exploitative, meaning I would've called if not for the constant warnings I see about underbluffing at the micros plus the hands that beat me recently, although I don't know if that's the right way thinking or playing in the long run. I honestly would have disregarded SPR and decide purely based on the combos that beat me vs those that don't considering how much I have to put into the pot. That's why even if he showed me 99 I still wouldn't be satisfied. That fold felt like bread for today but hunger for tomorrow.

Thanks. I can see some flatting my OR with A9, K9s but could even be wider like K9o, Q9s and J9s, adding several possible combos that I beat. I got shoves to my postflop bet with overpairs with a flopped straight, but didn't encounter sets. Perhaps it's more common to slowplay those sets than straights on the flop. I'll keep an eye on that.

Just remember that when you call an all-in with a bluff catcher you SHOULD lose most of the time. If there was no money in the pot, you would call with anything that won 50% of the time or better. So given the money in the pot, like if you're facing a pot-sized all-in on the river it's correct to call with anything that will win at least 1/3 of the time.

It's hard to train yourself emotionally to make those type of calls. It doesn't feel good to call and lose. But being willing to call a pot sized bet with a hand that will lose 65% of the time is what the best players do.

Im also microstakes player but i think you are overcomplicating things, this board is the perfect example of why having big c-bets is important on this tipe of textures, and on this particular board you NEED only big bets, you don´t achieve anything betting 1/3 because you don´t fold anything remotely having drawing capacities and you get check raised alot, experienced players will check raise 1/3 bets here close to 100% of the time, so you basicaly check or bet big, i think @30bb deep the most EV+ play here will be just all in against C/R and you will be favorite most of the time with JJ going against 9X, some 77, 88, 55, and of course in micros against overcards.

I highly recommend to you watching this video called

that summarizes all this concepts perfectly and i think with this exact board as example Edit* (859rb was the board used but is exactly the same concept) https://app.gtolab.com/videos, you can watch it for free just login in