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Merge Network $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 1795834
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SB: $100.00
BB: $110.73
UTG: $81.65
UTG+1: $100.00
UTG+2: $91.75
MP1: $59.45 (42/27 OVER 45 HANDS)
MP2: $110.28
Hero (CO): $217.50
BTN: $121.99 (UNKNOWN, BUT SEEMS TIGHT)

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is CO with Q Q
3 folds, MP1 raises to $3.00, 1 fold, Hero calls $3, BTN calls $3, 2 folds

Flop: ($10.50) 4 2 A (3 players)
MP1 bets $3.00, Hero raises to $11.25

Open raiser MP1 is loose donkey 42/27 over 45 hands, saw him 3bet 77 short-stacked and open shove KTX flop. BTN seems tight, but only have 10 hands on him. I made a mistake pre-flop by not 3betting. Decided to FPS and go for a back-raise against a very squeeze happy reg in the BB.

My question is about my flop play? I raised the flop because this guy's weak bet meant he had a weak hand, and I really just wanted to take down the pot and not have the guy behind me in the pot. I'm not bluffing, and I think I'm rarely betting for value, so it's just mainly to take down dead money. Is this a good reason, and what's the most +EV play?

Hope my comments will help. Here are few things to think about.

As you mentionned it yourself, I think that not 3 betting pre is a big mistake. You lose a ton of value.

If your read is right, why don't you just call? Also, if you check-call flop, be aware that your hand is face up and a good player might apply a lot of pressure and force you to fold OTT and OTR.

What do you think vilain's calling range is when you check-raise flop? Do you think you get called by worse more than 50% of the time? Also, do you get a lot of folds from better hands?

If the answer to both questions is no, then I think that if you are willing to call flop and turn vs an aggro player this is probably better to check-call.

If you don't get calls from 50% worse hands, raising is EV-. You could argue that you will make him fold his bluffs and weak hands and you will win dead money. The problem is, that these hands would most likely shut down OTT or OTR and you would have won at showdown anyway. So, you are not having an higher EV in the end when making him fold all his bluffs and weak hands...

Altough, you should work with vilain's range in PokerStove and try to have an idea on his possible barreling range. When he calls here OTB, I think his range will be fairly wide, with a lot of SCs, suited aces and PP. Try to have an idea of what is your flop equity vs his betting range here. Do you know if he turns 88 into a bluff here for example?

Also, if you think that check calling will get you in too much marginal spots on later streets or that you realize after stoving ranges that you don't have enough equity to call OTF or OTT, maybe that check-folding is better in the end. The answer will probably be vilain dependant.

Masked, thank you much for your thorough reponse. I agree with everything you said if the pot is heads up, then calling down is best to let him keep bluffing. My main problem is with the 3rd player behind. I don't know if he would be able to view us both as weak, and bluff me off the best hand if I just call. What do you think about the 3rd player?

Well, there are 3 thinks I feel we should consider here when dealing with a possible raise from the player behind.

1- 3 way actions OTF means that he has less FE, so he is less likely to bluff in general (not impossible tought).

2- Targeting a weak player for a bluff isnt a good idea, unless you have strong draw at least because not much FE. So if you are raised, you are slightly ahead or way behind...

3- An A high flop isnt usually the greatest board to bluff IMO, people don't like to fold top pair, especially an A (especially weak players).

All in all, when I look at the 3 arguments above, I woulnt worry too much to face a raise from the player behind. If it happens, I think that you can confortably fold and move forward to the next hand.

Even if he calls, and MP1 bets again vs 2 OTT, you are likely way behind (at least somebody has an A).

Tyty. Excellent points! I now see that calling flop was probably the most +EV play.