Small Stakes Shorthanded NL Poker Forums

MP: $400.00
CO: $1137.50
Hero (BTN): $1029.10
SB: $400.00
BB: $430.50
UTG: $802.00

Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is BTN with T T
1 fold, MP raises to $14, 1 fold, Hero calls $14, 2 folds

Flop: ($34.00) 7 4 9 (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $24, MP raises to $96, Hero calls $72

Turn: ($226.00) A (2 players)
MP bets $96

(This is a hand from remix).

Villain doesn't have a reason to expect you to bet this flop 100%. He could have flush draws, straight draws, overcards, JJ+ sometimes. But mostly should be semi bluff or even pure bluff - so not that strong.
On the turn the part of his range which includes an A is only the nut FD, and that's pretty small (he won't even x/r it 100%) and he doesn't really x/r AK/AQ/A9 on the flop. The A never hits us ever and villain knows this, since we get in Ax FD's on the flop.

Alot of his semi-bluffing hands on the turn have equity against us, so do we shove to prevent him from seeing another card or call?

How do you work out when the pot is big enough to shove? even though it's mostly better hands that call.

Start by doing the EV equation. Shoving should at least be +EV.

Next realize that you will most likely shove with your entire range - so you don't split your range into too small parts which will make it easier for villain estimate your actual ranges.

In order words there is more than one type of protection.

What I would say OP, is you should be shoving for protection when certain hands on river check back that would have somehow called a turn shove but would be getting stacked by better hands anyway and you would be making very tough/bad decisions on a lot of river on a lot of various river cards. Its kinda hard to explain what situations these occur in because it doesnt happen that often.

Also stack sizes play a crucial role. If SPR is really low then shoving becomes more and more desirable given the context of what I said previously.

On really dry boards you should not be merge raising.

Start by doing the EV equation. Shoving should at least be +EV.

Next realize that you will most likely shove with your entire range - so you don't split your range into too small parts which will make it easier for villain estimate your actual ranges.

In order words there is more than one type of protection.

True.

Would say being balanced in 3bet pots on turn doesnt really matter tho. Even if he has 10K hands hell never know what different bet sizes represent.