by Metzga25
This week, I want to show you some sample hands where hero has to face raises when having the initiative.
Hand 1
Preflop: Hero is CO with 7♦, 7♣
6 folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB calls.
Flop: (4.50 SB) Q♠, 6♠, 3♦ (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB raises, Hero calls.
Turn: (4.25 BB) 6♥ (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.
River: (6.25 BB) K♥ (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.
Final Pot: 8.25 BB
Hero plays versus a TAG. The hand 77 is strong enough for a first in raise on the cut-off.
On the flop, hero holds middle pair and places a standard continuation bet but he faces a check/raise. Even it's not a classical WA/WB situation, hero should just call down with good turn and river cards. He has not to fear free cards since he is in position in a heads up situation and might bet every time, e.g. when the opponent checks on the turn. In addition, many TAGs are aware that hero raises a lot of hands from the cut-off and misses the board frequently. That's why many TAGs often check/raise as a pure bluff. Against this, we win often more with a simple calldown because sometimes villain continues his bluff on the turn and river. Sometimes, those bluffs have outs like overcards but at this relative small pot, it's better to induce a bluff instead of protection.
Some beginners in shorthanded often 3bet the flop for information and fold when faced with resistance. However, this board offers a lot of draws which might be capped by aggressive players in order to force out small pairs.
Hence, we simply call down, even when the 6 on the turn isn't an ideal card because we would be beat by something like A6 now. But Hero is still ahead against some straight draws, flush draws and bluffs.
That's exactly why we call also the river. Though the king is another overcard, it's rather a blank since it completes no draws. However an aggressive player often tries to bluff with a scarecard like this. Thus we call the river.
Hand 2
Preflop: Hero is SB with A♠, T♣
8 folds, Hero raises, BB calls.
Flop: (4.00 SB) J♥, T♥, 8♣ (2 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Hero 3-bets, BB calls.
Turn: (5.00 BB) 3♥ (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.
River: (7.00 BB) J♠ (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.
Final Pot: 9.00 BB
Here as well, we hold a middle pair, but now we are not in position and there are many possible draws on the board.
We should instantly 3bet the flop and also bet the turn afterwards. Actually the same line like hero would play a strong draw or an overpair. Hero is still ahead against many draws and can protect his hand. In addition we keep the hand under control whilst playing out of position.
We bet again the turn, although the flush draw has arrived and we should fold against a raise by a passive player. Against aggressive players who are capable to raise once again as a semibluff whilst holding a pair with flush draw or even just a nine, you should go until showdown with a good river card.
On the river, hero should place a value bet against a worse T, the 9 or a small pair which often pays us off since our opponent might put us on a draw. An incomplete draw won't call, but I think that our opponent holds a weak made hand more often. For this reason we place a value bet. Against a raise on the river by an aggressive villain who is capable of another bluffraise, I would maybe tend to a crying call at this pot size.
Hand 3
Preflop: Hero is SB with A♠, 8♣
4 folds, Hero raises, BB calls.
Flop: (4.00 SB) K♥, 8♠, 5♣ (2 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Hero calls.
Turn: (4.00 BB) A♣ (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls.
River: (8.00 BB) 2♦ (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.
Final Pot: 10.00 BB
Again we hold a middle pair with an ace kicker and instantly face a raise on the flop. We shouldn't 3bet in this spot. This board invites a bluff raise and we get the most out of it by just letting villain continue his bluff. On the turn we hit a two pair, a very strong hand with which we should do a check/raise. A king will pay us off and a bluff gives up on the river most of the time. If we wouldn't have improved the turn, it had been best to just call down WA/WB.
Hand 4
Preflop: Hero is SB with A♠, 3♠
8 folds, Hero raises, BB calls.
Flop: (4.00 SB) 9♣, 6♣, 7♦ (2 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Hero folds.
Final Pot: 3.50 BB
Here we are directly confronted with a raise on a drawheavy board. Hero should instantly fold, even though he could be in front against a draw once in a while. Anyway, his equity is pretty bad and he can't continue to play in a profitable way with almost every possible turn card. Maybe we could call on the flop if we would have got 2 overcards and/or some backdoor draws.