Two interesting spots with Big pairs against polarized range

UTG is a reg, MP is a reg who i think is kinda weak but cant really figure him out. I had in my notes that he loves position rring, But i'm pretty sure his range here is like AA, KK and air. I mean he could have AK or QQ but you usually dont see that now a days at 5/10. I'd say im about 50% sure he doesnt have AK or QQ and im very certain he's bluffing this sometimes. I've also never really seen anyone rebluff this at utgs spot so i just expect him to come along here sometimes if i decide to call.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $10.00 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (CO) ($1963)
Button ($1340)
SB ($990)
BB ($1000)
UTG ($1000)
MP ($1000)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K, K
UTG bets $30, MP raises to $95, Hero


Villain is a reg who dabbles in both hu and 6max. Ive played him in hu but honestly he seems to change his game a lot. He used to be like total weak/nit tagg and had a reputation for being a very aggressive great player. Now i think he's living up to his rep a little bit again.

Could you see KK or QQ from this flop raise? Seems like a weird bluff since he's repping so little.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $10.00 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($1230)
Button ($1207)
SB ($1119)
BB ($1015)
Hero (UTG) ($1000)
MP ($1675)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, A
Hero bets $30, 1 fold, CO calls $30, 3 folds

Flop: ($75) 3, 4, 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $60, CO raises to $180, [color=#CC3333]Hero

I think I'm playing both of these hands straight up and nothing too fancy.

hand 1 - I'd just cold 4bet, and hope one of them ships AK or QQ. I think a cold call here looks just as strong, and you won't get many bluffs postflop anyhow.

hand 2 - I'd 3bet here whatever size I'd re-bluff. Probably make it almost a min 3bet to 305 or something. I'd imagine that a lot of his range is pairs that flatted pre and might not believe your 3bet here. He could even have hands like JJ,QQ and stuff.

Hand 1: I really, really want to flat here. The only real downside of flatting is when UTG calls and we take a flop multiway. People will probably get it in so much lighter vs a flat. Make sure to tank to rep the worst made hand possible .

Hand 2: I'd 4bet something gay here like 330. Not sure how to read his raise besides he has a good made hand like QQ.

Damn you guys are fast. I like calling in hand 1 and in the games I play at least, UTG can definitely 4-bet AK/QQ/JJ so we hope he raises and we're not peeling 3-way.

Hand 2 - Calling seems too strong and this doesn't seem like a board where villain's going to continue bluffing in position when it's so likely he has some kind of showdownable hand so I guess we have to reraise and hope he makes a big mistake? I think this is a spot where I am inclined to either click it back or shove. I'll try to think of why that is but it just seems like that allows thems to lvl themselves the most with their worst hands.

1. call and bet the flop when they check to you. if mp bets, call and probably fold to a turn bet on most boards

2. 325/call

i dont think either decision matters too much in a vaccuum unless you fold which blows

I'm surprised no one is playing more cautiously on hand 2... Do we think he's bluffing?

Originally Posted by Numbr2intheWorld

I'm surprised no one is playing more cautiously on hand 2... Do we think he's bluffing?

He probably has a big pair. He has no reason to raise 33/44/3x. I'd say his most likely hand would be QQ raising for value and he's going with the hand. He might perhaps raise 56s or AK to bluff/protect and to get a free river. You have to raise/call, don't give him any free cards or let scarecards fall.

Originally Posted by Numbr2intheWorld

I'm surprised no one is playing more cautiously on hand 2... Do we think he's bluffing?

I think he thinks a raise on this board looks very FoS, and so he probably expects you to be continuing with most pairs you have here. Certainly he probably expects you to continue with 88-TTish type stuff.

The fact that a raise looks FoS on this board also means he might expect you to re-bluff or do something spazzy here. So I wouldn't be surprised to see someone play JJ-QQ or something like that here.

Originally Posted by griffey24

I think he thinks a raise on this board looks very FoS

Do players at 1knl still think like this, really? I'd expect this from an average 50nl reg. I for one don't think his raise looks fos at all considering we opened UTG.

I think a lower stakes player is more likely to raise this board thinking "this board doesn't hit hero" rather than thinking "I'm not gonna get credit on this board, so I'll value raise light".

My point was just that I think he thinks he's gonna get called, so I think he's value raising reasonably wide, ie: value towning himself vs our aces.

Originally Posted by pocketfours

Originally Posted by griffey24

I think he thinks a raise on this board looks very FoS

Do players at 1knl still think like this, really? I'd expect this from an average 50nl reg. I for one don't think his raise looks fos at all considering we opened UTG.

Idk i think he depends on how he perceives me. And im not sure how he thinks im gonna react.

hand 1 i mix it up between cold 4b/call and flat and play postflop or get it in if UTG repops.

hand 2 you have to 3b oop. You don't wanna give him a free river and he can have worse for value etc etc

Originally Posted by ESS123

hand 2... You don't wanna give him a free river

I know this is picky but given our hand and this board I really don't think this makes much of a difference.

so you like getting freerolled by all draws he semi-bluffraise on the flop? What is your turn plan? How do you play something like a Q that he barrels, are you c/shove or c/c c/c river? How do you play a card that completes a draw? How do you play when he checks back turn and river completes a draw? I think vs someone reasonably good (a screen name might help) you should probably reraise something gay here.

But there are no draws in hand 2!!!! You can't have a board more dry than this.

I prob just flat his raise.

not saying it's good or anything but a "reg who dabbles" kinda sounds like someone who can mindlessly raise 56/75/67 here amirite?