[yeltzen]

Okay, so we're down to 3-handed in a $5 SNG. The player to my right has been ultra-aggressive against me preflop... apparently pegging me (correctly) as a weak little girl that will give up their blind regularly. I would say that in about 90% of the previous hands in which it ended up SB vs. BB between us, he has raised and made a C-Bet if I called. I mostly folded preflop and folding the rest of the time on the flop.

So, I got involved in this hand and started thinking about making a play on the turn... that is, calling the flop bet and betting out if he checked on the turn. But, we all know about my love for making a ballsy play... I love making them if there's a 100% chance they'll work. Thoughts?



PokerStars Game #11004643128: Tournament #55801846, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2007/07/18 - 14:55:19 (ET)
Table '55801846 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button

Seat 1: polar78m (4320 in chips)
Seat 2: yeltzen (3150 in chips)
Seat 4: risiko13 (6030 in chips)
polar78m: posts small blind 75
yeltzen: posts big blind 150

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to yeltzen [ ]
risiko13: folds
polar78m: raises 300 to 450
yeltzen: calls 300

*** FLOP *** [ ]
polar78m: bets 600
yeltzen: ???

[Harlequin011]

Raise!

Put it back on him.

Annie Duke says so.

[99%evil]

If you were open ended I might call or reraise. But with only 4 outs for your semi bluff...bail and look for a better spot...all overcards on the board. Any connection by him and you are toasted.

[whataboutj]

I would fold. only 4 outs is not a good spot to call his potential bluff & as stated already if it isnt a bluff you will be screwed

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by 99%evil

If you were open ended I might call or reraise. But with only 4 outs for your semi bluff...bail and look for a better spot...all overcards on the board. Any connection by him and you are toasted.

I guess I'm not even really looking at it as a semi-bluffing opportunity. I mean, it kinda sorta is because I have a gut-shot, but I'm viewing the possibility as a total play/bluff. Basically, can I take the pot away from him if I call this bet and he checks the turn?

[Big Mike]

If you haven't played back at him at all yet, maybe you should raise him right now.
That might give you a better chance to win the pot if he doesn't have an Ace.

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by whataboutj

I would fold. only 4 outs is not a good spot to call his potential bluff & as stated already if it isnt a bluff you will be screwed

Again, I'm not looking at this situation as a "hey, let's call and see if I can beat him in a showdown". I'm talking about calling the bet with no intention other than betting if he checks on the turn. Pretend I just don't have any cards. They're irrelevant here. I'm just debating the situation itself and whether I have a good enough read to try and make a play here.

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

If you haven't played back at him at all yet, maybe you should raise him right now.
That might give you a better chance to win the pot if he doesn't have an Ace.

This is another option if I want to make a play. I think I favor calling and then betting the turn if he checks because it gives me a lot more information. His bet here tells me almost nothing (he could have AK, he could have 87, etc). If I call and he checks the turn, it looks a lot more like his flop bet was nothing more than a continuation. Less risk, same reward.

[TheMightyJim2k]

why would you call pf with 23s? you don't have a big enough stack to be speculating this much. Plus it is three handed so you don't have to make a monster to win a pot, but the kind of hands you take to showdown with 23s are always big (ie you make trips, a straigth, or a flush).

I would call here with K8o before I would call with 23s

That being said....fold the flop. If your bluff attempt misses then you are a desperate shortstack. Save those chips for resteals pf, and doubling up postflop when you actually have a hand.

I think we can safely say that you are going to find better spots than this before you get bumped.

[Big Mike]

Jim is right, folding would be better, preflop and now. However, if you feel you just have to make a play at it, I say raise it now. Good chance you can win it right now, and if not, you could take a free card for your four outs on the riv.