My image should be aggressive if anyone is paying attention. No PT but I would hazard that my stats are something like 25/22 or so. The average opponent is loose/passive. Normy seems to be a bad player, bad bet sizes, too loose etc. Biggie could be competent. Preflop aggression at the table is generally low, I have not seen a 3-bet yet.

#1

Me: $130
Biggie: $200+
Normy: $105

I have [Qh] in the SB. Normy opens with a miniraise in the CO, Biggie re-raises him to $5. I think for a while and flat call. Normy calls as well.

Flop comes [4c][5d]

I check, Normy checks and Biggie bets $15. I call, Normy gets out.

Turn is a

I check, Biggie checks behind (I would *probably* have folded to a bet here)

River is the

I lead out for $23 into the $46 pot.


#2
Another table that has become 4-handed just now.

Me: $110
Villain: $180
Shorty: $60

Villain opens UTG for $4 and shorty calls in the SB. I'm in the BB with [Kd] and re-raise to $16. Both call.

Flop comes [4s][Qs]

Shortie checks, I check and Villain bets $15. Shorty folds and I call.

Turn is the

I push all-in for $78 which is almost exactly the size of the pot.

Hand 1 - I like.

Hand 2 - I'd probably CB the flop and get it in there. When you check and he bets so weak, I would CRAI - he could be bluffing and I don't want to call and have a Q or spade roll off and let him fire again making you fold the best hand in a pot that is already pretty huge.

#2
I don't CB the flop because with 3 of a suit out I want to see a safe turn first. Remember that on the flop, [Qh] is actually (slightly) ahead of my hand. If someone decides to go crazy with the naked I'll only be 55/45. If someone has a made flush or a set I'm drawing close to dead.

Basically, if I get action on the flop I will either be a coinflip to the draws or a huge dog to the made hands. If the turn is a brick however, I will be well ahead of the draws. (73/27 against the naked , 68/32 against [Qh]).

Therefore I prefer playing the hand on the turn instead of the flop. If I had the I'd be more inclined to play it fast on the flop if that makes sense.

The fact that there's $50 in the pot means that even if you get allin vs a range that you are slightly behind of - you will still make money. Giving away a free card to someone who has something like 55 with the 5s is catastrophic.

I'm finding it very difficult to find a range that you are very far behind to. I don't think you would ever have less than 40% equity on the flop which is more than enough to get your money in given the dead money already in there. Once you check and he bets weak, you definitely need to be raising as his range is so huge and you're probably ahead of it at that point.

I think the play of checking flops to wait for a safe turn applies more in heads-up raised pot (not 3bet) when you are in position. Example: You raise AA on the button and one of the blinds calls. The flop is and you don't have the As, if he checks, I would definitely check behind. The pot is small and you don't need to protect it as much from draws - plus you are probably behind to his range if he CRs you and there won't be enough money to profitably continue in the hand. If now the turn is a brick ([2h]) and he checks - you can bet and win the pot or have him call with incorrect odds (I don't think many people will go for a checkraise again after the flop went chk/chk). If he leads into you - you can raise and fold if he comes over the top or if he calls and leads the river. If he just calls your raise and checks the river (imo by far the most likely scenario) then you can check behind and likely win.