Navigating two pair in a tough spot

Replay Poker Hand Review
1

I’m looking for feedback on my thought process and play.

I just sat down a few hands ago, so I don’t have much of a table image yet. If my opponents do remember me from previous play, then I will likely have a loose aggressive image, though I doubt the opponents in the hand have an image of me.

Preflop
I have a strong hand so I completed my blind. I didn’t feel like this hand was strong enough to raise considering the other people limp their strong hands like AA or AK.

I think that BB’s min raise doesn’t mean much except he doesn’t have complete garbage. BB’s range should still be quite wide.

Flop
Bingo! I hold top two pair on a dry board. I didn’t bet since the board is dry, and my card strength is unlikely to change. I expect others to bet their aces at some point, and I will check-raise. I want them to improve their hands on the turn.

I didn’t check-raise the min bet as that would reveal my hand too early, and I wanted to see a turn.

Turn
The turn brings a flush draw and some straight draw combos. Exactly what I wanted to see. I don’t believe any of my opponents have 52 since BB would not have min raised preflop, and Button would have folded preflop. The only hands that beat me at this point is a set.

I checked expecting BB to bet if he has an ace. When BB pots the bet, I expected him to have a made hand instead of a draw. He probably has an ace or better. I estimated that his range is: A2+, 33, 44, TT, AA

When Button calls, I expect the him to have an ace or better or a draw. I don’t know his preflop limping range, I assume it’s uncapped and quite wide. I don’t think Button has a set on the flop since he would have raised. I guessed his range is roughly: 56s, maybe 43s, A2+, 33, or flush draw.

Now if one of them has an ace, it’s unlikely that the other has an ace and increases the odds that one of them has a set.

I choose to reraise due to the possibility of Button having a draw. I have seen BB limp complete garbage before, and I don’t expect him to be a strong player. I was hoping that he may call with just an ace. I don’t know if BB would have bet another street with an ace seeing two callers.

Do you think my hand was strong enough to reraise?

I think I should probably just jammed. My bet sizing was awkward and left a small amount left on the river. If Button did have a draw, he would have folded to a bet on the river if it missed.

River
I had a small amount left so I might as well put it all in.

2

I’ll give this a shot. ATo in the SB vs an EP limp and BTN limp behind should probably be raised or folded. If you raise and get reraised, you fold. Your positional disadvantage with a hand that is rarely going to realize its equity multiway should make you lean towards aggression preflop. I like to attack dead money with hands that are not good enough to call with but a little too good to fold.

The BB min-raise is non-sensical but we see this often from recreational players. Its always Axs or AA. They call it a sweetener but its really just a bad play. No reason to fold once the other 2 players call.

On the flop, you hit your dream scenario and I think you need to raise over the min bet and call. You want to get stacks against someone who can’t fold a good Ax hand and anyone who doesn’t have at least an ace isn’t going to put more money in the pot anyway. For this reason, I would raise the flop to set up a HU hand where you can get stacks by the river with a clean runout. If you raise and everyone folds, no big deal as you weren’t getting more money from the hand anyway. If someone has a strong ace, you are taking their stack.

As played, the turn got hairy. BB leading pot and being flat called by the BTN would have alarm bells going off in my head. I don’t think raising at this point is appropriate. You are probably only isolating yourself against better hands if you do. I’m ok letting flush draws go for it since they will need to bluff the river anyway. I have an easy call to pick off his busted draws.

In general, I don’t like slow playing, especially multiway. Its rare to flop top 2 pairs and when you do, that’s the time to make someone with a strong TP hand pay dearly.

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3

I agree. Button has the largest stack and with the pot at 8BB minbets on the flop are just giving him another shot at 11:1 odds. Even though his call with 4th pair is technically over the odds, with his large stack this is almost like a free shot at busting a stack, and so it proved.

Had you clicked the half pot button on the flop, he would almost certainly have folded 33 and then you were looking good.

In a situation like that with 33 on the button and it is folded to me, I prefer to put in a small raise, because it makes it easier to bluff with a continuation bet after the flop. Occasionally you will flop a set or a straight draw, but otherwise you will have to fold or bluff.

Big Blind paid very dearly for that minraise with a weak ace. In that situation I would just check it back and try to play small ball down to the river. I nearly always fold A7 preflop as it is a stinker that can lose you a lot of chips.

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4

@aoeu ,

In your description/summation , on the turn 33 was in both ranges of the other 2 players. Also you describe BB as having a made hand with the pot bet. Since Btn call’d that, 1 of the 2 of them, ur right, prolly has a made hand.

You re-raised even tho there was a hand beating you, that was in both of thier ranges and with the strong bet “on” the turn, its very possible the 3 help’d someone.
By pot’n it you gave BB 3:1 on a call and Btn 4:1 on a call , but that put BB pot committed so he just shoved the rest into the pot. This still gives Btn 3:1 to call the shove, knowing its an illegal raise therefore you can’t re-raise.
That leaves you pot committed on the river and you do shove the rest and get call’d, only to see the bad news.

No, you did not have a good enuff hand to re-raise. (turn)
Trust your read, 33 in both ranges, begrudgingly fold the turn.
You limp’d/flat’d preflop, you check’d the flop and paid a min bet.
Be glad you have so little invested in the pot… Fold the turn !!
Sassy

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5

You have gotten some good feedback here already but just to add a bit-

Without me knowing anything about your opponents you are in a good spot to raise preflop instead of just completing the blind - but you are out of position so not a bad play.

Post flop you have to put a bet in there - if 33 is a decent player he is folding on the flop to a bet.

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