Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:
$1/$2 No-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)
Known players:
[tg]UTG1$200.00:///////;UTG2$80.00:///////;MP1$60.50:///////;MP2$417.30:///////;MP3$219.60:///////;CO$231.55:///////;BU$208.60:///////;SB$249.15:///////;BB (Hero)$202.00:///////;[/tg]
Preflop: Hero is BB with 5:h, 5:s.
4 folds, MP3 raises to $6.00, 3 folds, Hero calls $4.00.
Flop: ($13) 2:s, A:h, 6:c (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $8.00, Hero folds, MP3 gets uncalled bet back.
Final Pot: $13.
He was 20/17. I have been told that this is a leak - "He is not going to pay you off". Actually I am calling just 4$ to see the flop and if I hit my set 1/8 of the time, I need to get paid 32$ on every single pot where I hit my set. And I agree that he usually only C-bets and it is unclear whether he is going to pay more (so most likely I only have total profit 16$ when he invests 6pre and additional 10 is Cbet.. If he C/bets flop, turn is checked and he calls my donk bet river 16, I can earn 32 which is needed to justify the call pre and effectively break even). I assume that if I don´t hit set, I give up all the time (as it is huge variance move to c/r when not hit the set, I was experimenting with c/r flop bluff quite a long time and I came to conclusion it is better to avoid c/r move on flop in these spots where you don´t hit).
If this is correct, than it is much bigger leak to call PP 22-77 from SB as well. And it may be leak to call 88-TT as well in principle.
Basically it means that (when 100bb deep) pocket pairs
- should be called only IP against good players (ofc calling 3-bet OOP is total leak, I am discussing just normal call pre here)
- can be called OOP only aggainst aggro players or loose players who are going to pay you out / and PP can be also called OOP in a multiway pot where it is morel likely that you will get paid (but I would like to discuss the situation only against 1 open raiser)
- if the open-raise comes from CO/BU you can 3-bet them for a bluff / value.
What do you think?