I actually had a few, what I believe to be, interesting hands from this mornings session. Thoughts on any or all of the hands could be fun. Even if you think they are straight forward and dont require much thought, it would be good to know that as well.

Hand #1

Villain is a pretty mindful, aware, tagish player. Hes not just mindlessly going through random actions, but you can tell he is actually thinking about whats going on and paying attention to game flow.

Check or bet the turn? What are the pros and cons of both? Im also open to thoughts on flop play, normally I am jamming here early on in a session, but thought differently this time around, and wanted to mix it up.

$0.50/$1 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
2 Players

Stacks:
Hero ($302)
BB ($106.50)

Pre-Flop: ($1.50, 2 players) Hero is SB 4♣ 8♣ 9♦ 5♣
Hero raises to $3, BB raises to $9, Hero calls $6

Flop: 9♣ 5♠ T♦ ($18, 2 players)
BB bets $14, Hero calls $14

Turn: J♣ ($46, 2 players)
BB checks

Hand #2

Turn spew? Villain is random and donkish. His line is just wacko and nonsensical, unless he turned a random set of queens, but I still think he would have c-bet flop with queens. What else could he possibly have?

$0.50/$1 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
2 Players

Stacks:
SB ($121.50)
Hero ($171.50)

Pre-Flop: ($1.50, 2 players) Hero is BB J♣ 3♠ 8♠ A♠
SB raises to $3, Hero calls $2

Flop: 4♦ J♠ 3♦ ($6, 2 players)
Hero checks, SB checks

Turn: Q♠ ($6, 2 players)
Hero bets $5, SB raises to $13, Hero raises to $45

Hand #3

Just a simple line check. Same villain as hand #1

$0.50/$1 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
2 Players

Stacks:
Hero ($262.20)
BB ($161)

Pre-Flop: ($1.50, 2 players) Hero is SB Q♠ 3♠ 9♣ 3♣
Hero raises to $3, BB calls $2

Flop: 2♠ 4♠ 7♠ ($6, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, BB calls $5

Turn: T♦ ($16, 2 players)
BB bets $12, Hero calls $12

River: 9♥ ($40, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $24

Hand #4

Same villain from Hands 1 and 3. Good example of how to confuse and tilt me. How do most react minraiseaments here? This is the first time he has done it fwiw, and we have been going at it for a bit now, and based on stacks I have obviously been getting the best of him, so his mental state should be taken into account here.

$0.50/$1 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
2 Players

Stacks:
SB ($108.50)
Hero ($546.40)

Pre-Flop: ($1.50, 2 players) Hero is BB J♠ K♣ 9♦ K♠
SB raises to $3, Hero raises to $9, SB calls $6

Flop: 4♥ J♣ 4♣ ($18, 2 players)
Hero bets $14, SB raises to $28

Cheers!

__________________
SHAMA LAMA DING DONG

Hand 1 - I would bet i think because I think we take it down a hell of a lot. River barrel on blanks I guess depends on gameflow.

Hand 2- No reason why he couldn't have checked a weak jack on the flop and now made top two on the turn. I would fold the turn. This is unless you have a read that his ghey-raise is a draw - then I would call and look to snap off a bet on blank rivers.

Hand 3 - Seems fine.

Hand 4 - I peel one off and see what occurs against non-nits. Sometimes just spaz-shoving the turn over another bet, mostly just folding to continued aggression.

Hand #1
What is your edge against this villain?

I'd bet the turn because I reckon it's going to be hard for him to call it with most of his hands, and when he does you've probably got outs. If he c/r's you were probably drawing thin anyway.


Hand #2
I don't really see the benefit of your re-raise on the turn. Pushing out worse hands, paying off better. Are you calling if he pushes? I think his raise is a bluff often enough, but it could be a better two-pair or set of Q's of course. You have some clean outs, some tainted, and might be ahead, still I don't see the value of 3-betting.

Hand #3
Seems straight forward. He's very unlikely to have the K flush so a value bet is in order. I think you played it perfect.

Hand #4
I hate when this happens. I probably call and fold to further agression, which is a good way of donating an extra $14 most of the time (but awesome when the K hits).

hand 1 I check.

hand 2 I can see a flat or a repot( because he is donkish) Both have merits.

hand 3 borderline vb( and by border line I mean that a jack high would be iffy and queen high is about right). I'd bet bigger( mostly) or smaller( rarely). 16-32. I think both get looked up more than a 24, and I also have a clear fold/call if raised.

hand 4 first time I let it pass, but occasionally I'd simply call the raise knowing its a donation. let him figure out what to do on the turn. if he wants to bet small again I call again, and then decide on the river. Sure I pay him off frequently but I think I'll have the payoff edge if he wants to play this style. All options here are good for you, not bad, but it depends on how each of you take it psychologically. The beauty of folding here is that he never knows if you had anything at all, and if he missed some value by shutting out your bluffs. The nightmare of folding is wondering if you had the best hand. Same applies to calling one or two streets worth. Could he have got more if he hadnt min raised. Could you have lost less if you folded. In this cat and mouse the one guy who develops the nutfear will come out behind.

in addition this hand serves as a reminder that you need to have some low runs in your 3 betting range.

You see we picked up nut flush draw with our lamo two pair? I interpret his ghey-raise as some sort of draw. Most likely turned a pair of queens + flush draw. We have one of the flush draws covered, and maybe best two pair now + lots of fold equity if river blanks out, in case he does have something random like top and bottom, but I really dont think he plays it like that.

In retrospect I can find reasons to justify a turn raise here lots of times, but I can honestly say that that is not what I was thinking at the time. It was more of an "I call shenanigans. Go $%#@ yourself" type of raise. And thats just bad machismo poker.

These are the types of villains that I have an okay time against. I find them very easy to read, I just have to make sure that I play a little more carefully and not mindlessly mash the pot button, as he is capable of making some reads as well. These villains types are also some of my favorite because I invariably induce them into a raging tilt. That all said, there are obviously better opponents out there, but this is just what was offered to me at the time.


I really dont ever think he is pushing here in a million years, but in the rare case he does I suppose I would call(?) Would have to run equity calcs to see if its at all jusitified, but we at least know I am not drawing dead no matter what That counts for something.

I dont know what are standard stats for HU, but I have a 3bet% around 22-23% which includes a lot of low runs, but regardless Kings are my least favorite hand to play HU and oop in 3 bet pots.


Thanks for all the comments fellars.

__________________
SHAMA LAMA DING DONG

Definitely did not see NFD. My bad. I think I like it with your read.

But what is your reason for 3-betting in hand #2?