PTP Video - Medium Strength Hands

[pokeraussie]

Poker Strategy Video: Medium hands vs Preflop Raises in Early Stages

I watched this video after playing a hand a certain way in a tournament last night.

But it actually differs in that I was analysing how to play medium strength hands on the flop, but some of the concepts discussed in this video still apply. PTP this is your commentary in the video isn't it? Great video btw.

I really haven't given this concept much thought because for obvious reasons you are typically always calling with medium strength hands.

But there was a hand during the middle stages of the tournament where I called with QT with still a reasonable sized stack after there was already a few calls.

The flop came down Q-9-x rainbow with some low card.

The EP player (tight older player who I know will limp in with premium hands) leads out on the flop. I didn't expect him to be trapping with a premium hand in this spot because it wasn't the later stages of the tournament.

It seems fishy and I have never really considered this play before with a medium strength hand, but I decided to min raise.

My thought process was that it defines his range and that it was possible for him to fold a better hand. If he shoves it was an easy fold and I am not worried about getting outplayed, and by min raising I expected him to shut down on later streets, so instead of having to call a bigger sized bet on the turn, by raising I can pretty much find out where I am at in the hand with the least investment. It also protects my equity in the hand when I do have the best hand.

Is there merit to my play or was this spew?

Btw Chris at the end of the video you mentioned you would make a video about how you played that hand post flop. Did you get around to doing that?

[Grinderschool]

by raising I can pretty much find out where I am at in the hand with the least investment. It also protects my equity in the hand when I do have the best hand.

Is there merit to my play or was this spew?

So basically there are only 2 (and a half) reasons to ever make a bet or a raise: for value or as a bluff. In this case you'd really not want to do either. The other 1/2 reason is that if you don't make the bet or raise, the likelihood of you winning the pot on a future street is slim to none, typically because you have a vulnerable pair multiway and you don't want to give a lot of free cards.

In the situation you described, he is likely not bluffing the flop multiway from early position and I would have probably just folded the flop. The 2nd best play would be to just call and fold to a turn bet since its a relatively dry board and your opponent has very few bluffs in his range. Hopefully he and you check it down after you call and heshows a hand like JJ or something.

[parttimepoker]

That was me, pretty old stuff.

We ended up transitioning that series into private reviews for members, so there was no follow up.

[pokeraussie]

In the situation you described, he is likely not bluffing the flop multiway from early position and I would have probably just folded the flop. The 2nd best play would be to just call and fold to a turn bet since its a relatively dry board and your opponent has very few bluffs in his range. Hopefully he and you check it down after you call and heshows a hand like JJ or something.

I agree he is likely not bluffing. Would you include 9x in his range? If you think folding on the flop is the correct play I guess that's a no.

[Grinderschool]

I don't know what he would have that would include 9x in his range preflop. I guess it depends on how much you think of the player, but really you could still call then fold the turn if you felt like he would only bet the turn with hands that beat you.

[pokeraussie]

A9, K9, probably even some suited gap and double gappers that include a 9.

[Grinderschool]

i doubt it given your description of "tight older player in ep"

[pokeraussie]

yeah i see what you're saying, thinking about this hand more, i don't really see too many 9x in his range, and i should have just folded the flop.

i kinda sensed weakness in his flop bet, as it turns out, he was genuinely nervous because he only had a decent kicker.