Stairway to RailHeaven

Welcome back everybody!

First of all the current status: actual stake is still NL10, current BR is close to $500.

As I promised you, today we´re talking about situations in which we instrumentalize hand reading and board textures to make good valuebets and demonstrate the idea of bet/folding (for value).

Hand 1

UTG: $11.39
Hero (CO): $10.39
BTN: $15.06
SB: $4.19
BB: $10.15

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is CO with A K
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.30, BTN raises to $0.90, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.95) T T K(2 players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

Turn: ($1.95) 8(2 players)
Hero bets $1.50, BTN calls $1.50

River: ($4.95) 8(2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $3.66, Hero calls $3.66

We have TPTK but obviously we´re not overly happy with it. What hands is Villain legitimately 3betting preflop, checking behind the flop and calling the turn with? It might be a slowplayed monster or some kind of middle pair.

Nevertheless, he won´t bluff the river, so bluffcatching makes no sense. Said this, if we think we have the best hand (that´s why we check-called), we should bet ourselves - and naturally fold if we get raised on (we lost against KK by the way).

Hand 2

CO: $3.84
BTN: $10.38
SB: $11.34
Hero (BB): $10.45
UTG: $10.35
MP: $10.00

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with J 5
2 folds, CO calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.25) A Q 7(2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks

Turn: ($0.25) K(2 players)
Hero bets $0.20, CO calls $0.20

River: ($0.65) 7(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.40, Hero calls $0.40

In this hand we flop a J-high flush draw HU on the A-high board in a limped pot against a pretty loose callingstation. First of all, we should immediately bet out on the flop. The limper is pretty unlikely to have a big A (or an A at all), so we should have sufficient fold equity. Combined with our outs, this is a pretty clear bet.

The turn brings the gin card and we get the 2nd nuts. We clearly bet for value.

Now, the river pairs the board and we go into c/c-mode. That´s plain wrong. We´re beaten only by A-high flushes, boats and quads. To have an A-high flush Villain had to check behind the flop with TP. Really? To have a boat he had to limp with QQ+. Mmmh ... and to have quads ... ah, screw it. :) Bet for value - and don´t fold against a raise (due to the reasons stated above)!!!

Hand 3

UTG: $13.25
MP: $20.40
CO: $11.34
BTN: $8.66
Hero (SB): $14.84
BB: $10.00

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is SB with 7 7
3 folds, BTN raises to $0.20, Hero raises to $0.80, 1 fold, BTN calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.70) 6 3 7(2 players)
Hero bets $1, BTN calls $1

Turn: ($3.70) 2(2 players)
Hero bets $2.60, BTN calls $2.60

River: ($8.90) 4(2 players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

OK, another hand where we get overly concerned with the threatening board. The river brings a 4-card straight on the board, and we check our top-set.

But if we think about it, there´s only one card for the straight - the 5. Although it´s not impossible (or even unlikely) that Villain called the flop (and maybe even the turn) with a naked gutshot, maybe along with A-high or a weak pair, there still are myriads of other combos in his range, like worse sets, 2-pairs, medium overpairs (88/99) and what not, so we still have the best hand more often than not. Will we get called by worse? Bet on it!!

As I doubt that Villain will raise the river with a worse set, we could be pretty sure that he has it if we barrel the river and get raised, so we don´t risk to get bluffed off the best hand, which - again - makes this spot a clear value-bet spot with the intention to fold to a raise.

Hand 4

Here´s an example where it worked perfectly fine (in a pretty similar situation):

Hero (CO): $10.00
BTN: $10.00
SB: $10.04
BB: $10.00
UTG: $10.39
MP: $36.68

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is CO with A Q
1 fold, MP calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.80, 3 folds, MP calls $0.70

Flop: ($1.75) Q 5 3(2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $1.40, MP calls $1.40

Turn: ($4.55) 4(2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $3.60, MP calls $3.60

River: ($11.75) 7(2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $4.20 all in, MP calls $4.20

Final Pot: $20.15
Hero shows A Q (a pair of Queens)
MP mucks 4 A
Hero wins $18.81
(Rake: $1.34)

Hand 5

And one more example where everything went right (besides that we should´ve raised preflop :)):

UTG: $10.25
CO: $11.69
BTN: $19.15
SB: $13.74
Hero (BB): $11.62

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with J K
3 folds, SB calls $0.05, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.20) K T 5(2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.10, SB calls $0.10

Turn: ($0.40) T(2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.30, SB folds

We shouldn´t get scared by the T pairing the board, we have TP with good kicker and Villain can have tons of worse hands he´ll call with (any worse K, underpairs, QJ and what not). If we get raised - well, you know the rest. :)

And a last example for a thin-looking (despite not being thin at all) valuebet on the river -with the plan to fold to a raise:

SB: $10.33
BB: $19.55
Hero (UTG): $11.55
MP: $10.00
CO: $12.41
BTN: $15.25

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is UTG with 9 9
Hero raises to $0.40, 2 folds, BTN calls $0.40, 2 folds

Flop: ($0.95) K 4 3(2 players)
Hero bets $0.70, BTN calls $0.70

Turn: ($2.35) K(2 players)
Hero bets $1.70, BTN calls $1.70

River: ($5.75) K(2 players)
Hero bets $3.50, BTN calls $3.50

When you think about it, Villain´s range is most likely pairs below 99 (as he didn´t 3bet preflop) - and he´ll never fold the river (thanks to zeebo :)), so it´s time for valuetown again. Well played (Villain called with 33).

OK, guys, you´ve done it, hope you enjoyed it, and as always, stay tuned and let me know what you miss!

PS: Just found this hand and had to add just for the fun of it - look at the holding BTN calls the shove on the flop, this guy had a lot of "hope". :-D

BTN: $5.28
SB: $10.96
BB: $10.58
Hero (UTG): $11.63
MP: $6.26
CO: $15.87

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is UTG with J J
Hero raises to $0.40, 1 fold, CO raises to $1.20, BTN calls $1.20, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.80

Flop: ($3.75) J 7 Q(3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $2.40, BTN calls $2.40, Hero raises to $10.43 all in, CO requests TIME, CO calls $8.03, BTN calls $1.68 all in

Turn: ($28.69) 7(3 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($28.69) 3(3 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $28.69
BTN shows 9 3 (two pair, Sevens and Threes)
Hero shows J J (a full house, Jacks full of Sevens)
CO shows Q A (two pair, Queens and Sevens)
Hero wins $11.85
Hero wins $14.93
(Rake: $1.91)