PF spot, AJ squeezes from BB, faces backraise SB

[n4rf]

PFR is a 26/22 with a 66% fold to 3bet, SB is a 21/17 with an 8% 3bet. Don't have much to say about SB's tendencies as I've only played a couple hundred hands with him and haven't seen him SD much. Seems pretty standard taggy though.

I stoved a range of TT+,AQ, and KQs (just to throw a couple combos of KQ in there) and I'm 40%. Pot is laying me 1.22:1 meaning I have to be good 45%.

This spot really doesn't come up much, but I was just curious if a call is ever considered? I think the decision would be clear cut fold if PFR been UTG or MP, because SB can have a stronger hand range. Purely based off my stove, it's a fold

What's the bottom of your calling range here if AJ is a fold?

Full Tilt, $3/$6 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

CO: $616.50
BTN: $729.40
SB: $600
Hero (BB): $742
UTG: $1,302.60
MP: $722.10

Pre-Flop: A J dealt to Hero (BB)
2 folds, CO raises to $18, BTN folds, SB calls $15, Hero raises to $84, CO folds, SB raises to $597 and is All-In, Hero

[Branman]

I think teh range you are suggesting is pretty unlikely. With a 3b% of 8% and the actual action the sb took, I think that [AQo,66-99] is much more likely than TT+. In any case, vs a range of 66-TT/AQo you're a 40% dog (vs the range that you suggested you are actually only have 31% equity fwiw). So as played I think you have to make a marginal fold.

If your value squeeze range is as wide as AJo, then it looks like the villain is just trying to exploit you with a part of his range that he can't easily call oop with. Especially with stacks being only 100 bb eff, I think AJo is took weak for your value range (and obviously too strong for your bluff range since you got confused, so just calling and closing the preflop action has to be far superior).

In this scenario, I wouldn't fold anything that I squoze for value, so my calling range would be 99+/AQ+. With this calling range the villain's AQo/KQs/66-99 range is only a 36% favorite and if our bluff squeeze range isn't disproportionately big, we're going to make money. The math is easy enough to do yourself if you want to check it out in more detail. Hope this helps.

[Pwoita]

Agree with Branman generally, especially if you are unsure what to do facing this situation, then for you it is a tweener hand, however imo AJo plays pretty averagely in a 3way pot (and nicely in a 3b pot) so i don't mind a squeeze/fold with AJo. AJs I agree would suck and is more of a tweener imo.

[n4rf]

I do agree AJs I'm almost always calling here unless PFR is a fish

[klink-]

probably close to neutral ev either way, id fold, and i like squeezing a lot better than calling pre just because AJo plays fairly poorly multiway with a lot of reverse implied odds.

[Branman]

I disagree about AJo playing so poorly post flop multiway that squeezing is mandatory. 22% from the pfr is going to include lots of worse J's (J8s+/AT/Axs+). It would be a different story if the pfr was in earlier position, but he's in CO. You might say, well if his range is so wide then he'll call 3b with dominated hands too, which is probably true, but I just don't like bloating the pot oop with such a nonpolarized range as I think it's going to put you in a lot of very marginal and confusing spots later on.

[harangutang]

I'd say AQ is by far the most likely hand he shows up with here. 88-TT are also pretty likely. After that occasional QQ+, KQs, KJs, AJs, 66 type hands. I'd call AQ+ and 99, although I wouldn't usually squeeze 99 here if co is reasonably tight/solid.

[Isura]

Originally Posted by Branman

I think teh range you are suggesting is pretty unlikely. With a 3b% of 8% and the actual action the sb took, I think that [AQo,66-99] is much more likely than TT+. In any case, vs a range of 66-TT/AQo you're a 40% dog (vs the range that you suggested you are actually only have 31% equity fwiw). So as played I think you have to make a marginal fold.

If your value squeeze range is as wide as AJo, then it looks like the villain is just trying to exploit you with a part of his range that he can't easily call oop with. Especially with stacks being only 100 bb eff, I think AJo is took weak for your value range (and obviously too strong for your bluff range since you got confused, so just calling and closing the preflop action has to be far superior).

In this scenario, I wouldn't fold anything that I squoze for value, so my calling range would be 99+/AQ+. With this calling range the villain's AQo/KQs/66-99 range is only a 36% favorite and if our bluff squeeze range isn't disproportionately big, we're going to make money. The math is easy enough to do yourself if you want to check it out in more detail. Hope this helps.

Not obvious, and not true imo.

1) Folding PF could dominant both other strategies here. Multiway OOP against 2 competent opponents, with SB having a pretty strong range. I don't think AJo is good at all here.

2) It's not necessary to distinguish value and bluff hands . Facing a ~neutral EV decision when 4-bet isn't the only consideration in distinguishing value and bluff hands. There is PF fold equity, postflop play when called. We should bluff here some, AJo is as good as any with decent equity when called and high card blockers.

Stating that flat is far superior to 3-bet is a huge stretch imo. It's far from clear. Give me 87s/A2s way before this, and not like we need a big flatting range to begin with.

[Unknown Soldier]

agree with isura, but i def wouldnt be folding pf (1st time round)