Top 2 against a TAG

[PokerWoody]

BB was a pretty solid straightforward 21/12 TAG. I had been raising the button A LOT and he had just been folding the vast majority of the time. I hadn’t really tangled with him at all in the 90 hands I’ve been at the table with him and he hasn’t really been looking to get involved with me. He is probably multitabling therefore focusing primarily on his cards I would guess. My image is well on the LAG side, I have been mildly tilting after a series of suckouts and have been playing around 38/29, in fact I’ve been rather hoping for a big hand because I’m sure it will get paid off with my current image and some of the players at the table.

Woody - $98
BB - $140

Folds to me on the button, I raise to $3.50 with 97, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop – 743 – $7

BB checks, I bet $5, BB calls.

Turn - 743 – 9 – Pot $14

BB bets $9, I …

What’s my play here and plan on future streets?

[Raiser]

I would be concerned slightly about trips... but if u have been raising the button alot then i 'think' he would reraise you back preflop with pretty much any pair... so i will eliminate trips out of the enquiry (famous last words!)

Iam going to think about this logically as usual - from the BB pov it looks like you have two overs and was making a decent size con bet... so i would say you need to keep selling the hand as two overs... a reraise here i dont think imo would be the best play because i think this hand needs to go to showdown.... so flat call.


River?: be prepared to call a $25 bet - 56 is a possibility but if he has it then fair play.... but u need to call!! If he checks then i would check behind him for the sole reason that he check called you on the flop and i would be a little wary.... if he pushed then i 'think' i would still call depends on additional information - have you seen him bluff the turn? is he using his tight image against you who is a lag? i think you are ahead....

I think he thinks that you think he has trips

[PokerWoody]

have you seen him bluff the turn?

Not really no, I haven't seen him go to showdown that I can recall (although i'm sure he has but i've been elsewhere).

is he using his tight image against you who is a lag?

He could be.


Try putting him on some exact hands. You say 56 is possible and you are not to worried about a set. What other hands are you putting him on that makes calling down the best play?

[Raiser]

Try putting him on some exact hands. You say 56 is possible and you are not to worried about a set. What other hands are you putting him on that makes calling down the best play?

Well there are plenty of hands that are beating you so thats why i have taken the safe option and keeping the pot as small as possible...

K9/A9/Q9/J9/T9?: Called the flop bet in the hope to take it away form you later on in the hand but got lucky (or unlucky in this case) and hit top pair?

A complete bluff?: Possible.... if u have a very LAG image and raising ALOT on the button thats also a possibility.

56?: Yeah looks likly but if you control the size of the pot then you could get some information on the showdown and think of it as an invesment! :-S

Over pair?: Could be pulling off a trap against a LAG player and giving him some rope to hang yourself? 88 would make sense, scared of the 9 on the turn.....

Anyway enough of my ramblings!

[Wuddle]

I don't see that you are behind to a straight... Someone that plays his cards isn't going to want to get involved with a 5 6.

A low pocket pair is a possibility though, he'd check as he knew you'd put a continuation bet in, and is worried you'll check the turn as you're scared by his flat call so bets out himself.

Hence i'd just check/call down here.

[POB666]

I don't see that you are behind to a straight... Someone that plays his cards isn't going to want to get involved with a 5 6.

If its 56 suited he may call a preflop raise against someone who is LAG

[trustme]

I dont see him with a set here either. For him to check call the flop and then to fire out on the turn it a really strange play.

Hands that i want them to have:
10 10, JJ, A9, 94, 93

Hands that I dont want them to have:
33, 44, 77, 99

All of the hands that I dont want him to have give him a set. With a set I dont expect this kind of player to fire out on the turn, they are far more likely to check it and let you do the betting for them and they are ok if it goes check , check and they will then fire out on the river.
Got to think that the nine improved their hand, theres no way he can put you on two pair, hes got to see you as having either two overcards and just firing at the pot or he thinks you have caught a bit of the flop and now he has hit the nine a bet will take it down there or he has an over pair to that board, he has a good hand but I would be sure top two is still better than it.

Theres few hands that would be drawing here, 5 6 and 68 and 5 8 but from your description it would be hard to put them on any of these hands as they would have probably mucked them instead of calling an extra 2.50.

Now what to do. Calling is a pretty safe option here, hes made around the bet that I would have bet your hand if he had checked but calling gives them a river card and a lot of the deck is going to be a scare card that could improve their hand and with them betting into you now, raising is the best option, make it $27, by doing this you are letting them know that you have a good hand, they can fold here, it can also slow them down on the river if they do call.

Worst cards on the river here would probably be any 3 or 4, any other card Im at least calling their bet if they do fire again, if they check the river Im definately firing again, probably $35

[PokerWoody]

I really don't get how you guys are discounting a set here. From his preflop call I considered that a pocket pair made up the majority of his range along with good aces and some sc's. He may occasionally call with a small suited connecter but I don't think this guy is the type to do this too regually...although my image proably makes it a bit more likey in this instance.

Once he stop&go's me I think his range is something like this 33, 44, 77–QQ, bluff, 56, 67 & 78. With this range I think calling and seeing what he does on the river makes the most sense, however, I don't call...

Woody - $98
BB - $140

Folds to me on the button, I raise to $3.50 with 97, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop – 743 – $7

BB checks, I bet $5, BB calls.

Turn - 743 – 9 – Pot $14

BB bets $9, I raised to $27, he thinks for about 10 seconds then pushes, $60odd for me to call (pot is $130), I ??

[POB666]

Call then find out your beat by trips

[Raiser]

please dont tell me he had AA!! however i would laugh