BlindVBlind 5bet shoving ranges

[BorisTheSpider]

Versus a relative unknown, with a small sample and stats that suggest they aren't terrible (say VPIP between 20 and 30, PFR indicating they don't call terribly often) but no solid read yet, does anyone have any thoughts on BlindVBlind battles - it's something I don't ever really feel that confident with.

I think what confuses me is that with normal 100bb stacks, there's enough dead money after the SB 4bets that even against a typical getting-it-in range, we're somewhat compensated by the dead money if we shove a bit too thin, so I find myself wondering whether or not to shove or fold.

For example, yesterday, TT in the BB against a SB open followed by SB 4bet, I shoved it, but I couldn't really see how much worse could call, and not much better could fold, but with 25BB already out there, and a ton of stuff we're flipping with that might call, I can see shoving being not far different in EV than folding, and if that's the case I'd rather shove.

Just to flesh out that TT example, against an unknown I give him [AA-99, AK, AQ, KQs] to call with which gives us 45% equity, and removing KQs makes almost no difference. I think that's actually a pretty conservative range against an unknown, and that he might call signficantly wider after 4betting smaller pairs or other miscellaneous broadways then feeling pot committed to getting it in when we shove.

Anyway, this post is getting a bit rambling - I was just interested really in whether other people also find blind v blind battles a sticking point, and thought I'd see if I could get a discussion going.

[abelardx]

I would avoid these marginal spots at the micros since people will be making big mistakes in other spots all the time and why not just wait a few hands for the massively +EV spots?

Personally I would flat a reraise with TT-QQ and AK preflop and get it in on a good flop or fold on a bad flop. Also I'd prefer to 3bet worse hands like suited connectors and small suited aces, especially oop, and simply flat with the better non-premiums like TT and AQ. After all, you're in position with a good starting hand, you have every advantage, there's no need to blow them off an OK starting hand when you have a lot of EV postflop.

Against a 4bet I'd probably fold TT because you're committing yourself to the pot and you're behind his range.