Heads Up NL Poker Forums

This was the very beginning of the match and I didn't have reads on him. He hadn't done anything weird so far.

Grabbed by Holdem Manager
NL Holdem $0.50(BB) Replayer
Hero ($51.35)
($54.53)

Dealt to Hero 5 A

raises to $1.50, Hero raises to $4.50, calls $3

FLOP ($9) 4 Q 7

Hero bets $4.75, calls $4.75

TURN ($18.50) 4 Q 7 K

Hero?

Do we keep barreling here? Particularly, I think we should (though I didn't, at the time) since his flop calling range has hands like TT-88, some Ax and, if he cals 3bets with SCs (not a rare thing at 50NL for what I've seen...), he could even have some 7x. Let me know if you disagree with that reasoning.
Other thing I'd like to know from you guys, if we do barrel that turn, what rivers (if any) do we bet when we miss?

What reasons do you have for not wanting to barrel the turn there?

I think this is just about the clearest snap second barrel of all time seeing as we have a lot of equity in the pot and the K is a poor card for villains range and good for ours. As you rightly said villain will call with a lot of A highs and mid pairs on this flop, none of which like this turn. Having bet this turn I think we could definitely consider shoving just about any river with the exception of an Ace. Jacks and Tens may not be the best as they connect well with his Qx hands that defend vs a 3 bet though.

What do you guys think of preflop? I usually flat here early in a match. (Maybe I should be 3 betting this hand more often?)

What reasons do you have for not wanting to barrel the turn there?

I actually don't know why I didn't fire the turn (brain cramps???) but, as I said in the post, I really think I should've done it. My doubt is about the river, after barreling the turn.

I think this is just about the clearest snap second barrel of all time seeing as we have a lot of equity in the pot and the K is a poor card for villains range and good for ours. As you rightly said villain will call with a lot of A highs and mid pairs on this flop, none of which like this turn. Having bet this turn I think we could definitely consider shoving just about any river with the exception of an Ace. Jacks and Tens may not be the best as they connect well with his Qx hands that defend vs a 3 bet though.

Agree

I think this is just about the clearest snap second barrel of all time seeing as we have a lot of equity in the pot and the K is a poor card for villains range and good for ours. As you rightly said villain will call with a lot of A highs and mid pairs on this flop, none of which like this turn. Having bet this turn I think we could definitely consider shoving just about any river with the exception of an Ace. Jacks and Tens may not be the best as they connect well with his Qx hands that defend vs a 3 bet though.

Why would you not shove an Ace?

What do you guys think of preflop? I usually flat here early in a match. (Maybe I should be 3 betting this hand more often?)

I think that 3betting isn't bad. I think that I would prefer flatting though.

Why would you not shove an Ace?

I'm not sure what I would do on an Ace river. I think it could definitely be good (if somebody did this against me I would be very inclined to look them up as the turn and river are the nut barrelling cards for bluffs) but against some villains the board might start to get a bit too coordinated for people to call with third pair or less. Also as we see in this hand many of the hands that barrel with equity will have an A in them such as the NFD or AJ, AT etc. Honest answer I really don't know but I see the merits in both checking and betting. From a balance perspective against a reg or whatever I think it should be a shove, against an unknown early in the match, I just don't know.