So I wanted to spend some time going over this hand. This was a hand I played last night. Getting put in a tough spot is always tricky, so I like to go over these hands and try to determine if my decision was good.
So, let’s start from the beginning. For context, the SB is a fishy player with a 40+ VPIP and is moderately aggressive post-flop, I think around 40-50% aggression rate post-flop.
Anyways, so I’m dealt AKo on the button. The LJ (UTG) player min raises to 4 cents (2BB). The cutoff calls, and I 3-bet to 18 cents (9BB).
The SB and original UTG raiser call. We go to the flop 3 ways.
The flop comes A6T, with two spades (including the ace). So I flopped top top.
They both check, and I bet around 75% pot. With two players in the hand, and two spades out there, I don’t want to slow play this, I want to get value and charge draws. I’m not going to let them hit a flush or straight without paying for it.
The SB then jams for about 4 bucks, about 200BB. The original UTG raiser folds.
Now I’m in a really tough spot. I was really thrown off. This player is fishy so I figured they may have been overplaying a medium strength hand or just straight up bluffing.
I tried to think about what hands would beat me here. It was hard to put my opponent on one. I have all weaker aces crushed, which would still definitely be in my opponent’s 3-bet calling range. Hands like AQ, AJ, maybe even A9s.
A6 also didn’t really seem too logical unless it was A6s, but then again fish will call 3-bets with almost anything so I figured he may have had it.
I talked with a guy I know who plays NL200. He basically said that this decision simply comes down to whether I think there’s worse hands that he’s doing this with.
The only possible hands that beat me were two pair or a set. If he’s doing this with a flush draw, then calling is the right move, as top top is still ahead.
I could safely rule out AA because there would’ve been a 4-bet preflop. Maybe the same would be true with TT. He also could’ve called with 66 but that’s just one hand and not that likely.
I think in general it’s incredibly difficult to put your opponent on a set. I think if you’re up against a set, you’re just going to lose in this kind of situation unless there’s a major scare card.
I also wasn’t sure if he would take this line with a set. The large bet sizing made me inclined to believe that he wanted me to fold. However, I suppose it’s possible he jammed with a set because he was afraid of a flush or straight getting there and beating it. I figured that fish tend to overplay some hands, but at the same time they always seem to have it online.
So really, I ruled out sets. I figured if I was beat, I was up against A6 or AT. I was so prepared for them to turn over AT.
So I made the call. Luckily he also had AKo. In fact, I had a slight advantage because I had backdoor spades (got eliminated from a tournament that way yesterday actually lol).
Against a more nitty player I’d have put them on two pair and folded. But against a fish I had to call down a bit lighter.
Feel free to leave a comment if you have any analysis to add. I am trying to improve my game and am open to hearing about analysis from more experienced players.