---

Poker Video: MTT/SNG by OMGClayDol (Micro/Small Stakes)

Time Link to 00:34:20

Hi OMGClaydol.
Nice to see a new 9man STT by you on DC.
In this hand you give a good explanation for raise calling 3-handed with 99, when your mid stack is about 21BB and the smallest effective stack is about 16BB.
Which hands do you think would be the weakest part of your raise calling range here, and which hands might form your raise folding range ?

Hey it depends on the villains, but assuming they seem to be at least somewhat decent/reggy I would assume probably with those stack sizes (as you imply, we don't wanna induce too light given ICM considerations) 77 A9s ATo or something like that, keeping in mind that if the villains are really good it might be more important to raise/call a slightly wider range just because otherwise your raise/call range is too tight and therefore your raise/fold (stealing) range is too exploitable. At these stakes that is rare and I wouldn't really worry about that though

Time Link to 00:08:23

Thanks Omg., great review.

The 99 hand (8 handed), I don't think it would be good to raise fold to anyone at these blind levels (50- 100). Even if we raised min there would be 550 in the pot and 1200 more to call if one of the later players shoved. For chip break even we only need 1200/(1400 *2, + 150) to call = 40%
Without icm against a very tight push range of (88+,AJs+,KQs,AKo) we have 40%, the icm would make it a fold but very close but I think there is a decent chance of a much wider push range, I would guess at (66+,AJs+,KQs,AQo+) and then we have 47%. Also, I would not usually min raise it at this stage but 2.25 to 2.5x it and this makes the call better and if we just raise and get flatted 99 is difficult to play when OOP.

Also, I thought the calling ranges assigned in wiz seemed a little tight and, quite oddly here, although shoving looks close this is an unusual case and if you widen the calling ranges the EV improves, The only hands that have 99 beaten are in the top few percent and you gain a bit by getting called wider (when the icm is not yet very high), even so it's still a close spot. (Raising to induce could be good if the players behind are aggro.)

Yes you are definitely right about adding hands improving our EV with 99. 88 AJs AKo KQs is definitely not a very tight range, especially for a regular. Yes there are for sure randoms who will shove a bit wider but some regs might be as tight as 99 AQo AQs. It's generally a pretty close fold if you raise imo, but does depend on villain a bit.
Also raising more for either the reason or hand is hard to play OOP, or because it makes a call of a shove more profitable is not a good way to think (especially the second reason). 99 is tricky on some boards, and c-bet/folding is annoying with our stack when an overcard hits, etc, but it's not too bad. For the most part we have a decent pair which is still often gonna be an overpair and we get decent value from the typical flatting range (since regs should never flat with these stacks, generally only randoms flat and randoms will flat worse hands for sure)

GL lmk if you have any other questions or comments, I liked your comments

Time Link to 00:48:27

Clay, you talk about not Check/jamming on this type of board when you hit top pair HU. If we just check/call, what are we doing on the turn? Donking out for 1/2 pot? I feel like if I'm the other player that I'm going to check behind on the turn with all hands we beat and that would give him 2 free cards.

How do you feel about a check/raise small, then check the turn and evaluate and look at value betting the river?

I really like your explanation of not chk/jamming the flop because it kills all the hands we get value out of, but I would like to know how you plan to get value out of them on the Turn+. If he has a hand like A6, isn't he going to flat our raise on the flop? If he has better queens isn't he going to 3bet shove?

Thanks!

Yeah but it's outweighed by the fact that especially with a good top pair (not many overcards can come) quite few hands have equity (AK has 6 outs, Kx has 3, Qx has 3, baby pairs have 2). If you are 100% he will never bluff turn or river (which is the main merit to just calling) then yes just jamming is better, but most villains are at least going to bluff sometimes, especially heads up where the dynamics are generally a bit more aggressive.

So as implied above, a weak top pair may be better to check/jam, as random hands have more equity (much more likely to have two overcards for example) and it is more difficult to play - there are more overcards that villain can/will barrel which we don't know how to play on then. So I would much rather jam Q7s on 753 than Q52 in general

I believe you mentioned that you might fold AQ in the SB to a good regular's early positon raise (let's assume you both have 40 BB's, no antes, and villan raises to 3x) , because even if you flop an A or Q, you're not going to know for sure where you stand. Would you also consider folding AQ in the BB, in the same situation, or would pot odds/ closing the action merit ( or mandate) a call, even though you might be in that same sticky situation post flop? Thanks. really enjoy the vids!

Yeah I would if the reg is really tight. Some regs will open an absurdly tight range like AKo TT+ UTG, others will open ATs AJo KQs 77+ (just an example).
Calling in the BB is more favourable, since you get better pot odds, it doesn't go three way (and you are in the worst position postflop) ever i.e. you close the action/no one can squeeze or re-raise etc. But it could still be a fold if the reg is tight enough.

Cool. If I could take it a step further, would you fold the AQ, as in the above scenario, if it was just a min raise from this ultra tight reg. I guess I'm trying to understand if pot odds play at all into this decision, if there are such potential negative implied odds. Thanks man. really appreciate the help!

I mean yeah a min raise is yet another variable (just the raise size in general).

If we think 3x is a close fold, maybe a min-raise is a close call. Depends though, if you feel comfortable postflop. For example, vs. some regs, if the flop comes Q72r, we check, he c-bets and we call, turn is 3, if we check and he bets again, vs most regs this can often be fold in these positions, as his range is often going to be AQ+, and our hand (AQ) is crushed by that range. He bluffs 0, and value-bets nothing worse. So if you can think about these kind of things, lean towards a call.

Basically lets say we are pretty sure when a specific villain 3xs UTG, we have a BREAK EVEN call in the SB with AQo. Well.. consider what variables there are.. Villains range, effective stacks, size of his raise (therefore what pot odds we are getting), our ability post flop etc. If any variable changes, it either makes it more of a call, or more of a fold.

For example, if instead of the specific villain, we are now faced against a really loose villain, we should now lean towards a call, as AQ does better vs a very loose range for obvious reasons. Similarly if instead of 3x, the same villain makes it 5x, we should now lean towards a fold, even if his range is the same to open, as we are getting considerably less favourable pot odds than previous etc etc..

Cool. Thanks man. Great to get your insights on blind defense in this situation!