Pocket 8s on 3TT in straddle pot

[KelownaPokerDad (Matt)]

This is the second noteworthy hand from my Vegas Vacation…

http://mysmp.me/vh_joY

My call on the flop shove for $280 caught me offguard. Convinced myself he was trying to push me off AQ+ with a low to mid-pocket pair. I should have found a fold.

Thoughts?

[Noam Shahar]

That’s a tricky spot. There aren’t too many value hands in his range other than a Tx or exactly pocket 3s. And even though his range is wide in the straddle, it would be strange for him to raise with a weak ten. At the same time, his bluffs would have to be with pure air as there are no draws. So if this player type was capable of pulling a big bluff, then I believe you should call as he doesn’t need to to have too many bluff combos for that to be a profitable call.

Also, the player behind you could have floated your cbet with any small pocket pair, Ax, or overs so you don’t have to worry too much about him acting after you when you call the first jam. Obviously, when he rejams, you have to let it go as you did.

[Rayan]

To answer your topic and what have been said before, I don’t think the two guys on your left would be bluffing on this flop. Absolutely no draws, it’s early in the hand, you’re behind a lot of others, and any Ten. Of course you’re behind pocket 3s but this is a marginal hand here, you mainly have to think about JJs, or good Tx to call you preflop with (starting from T7s, T8s but you block it, T9s and more…).

So watching the replayer action by action I was already going for a fold after the first jam. Too bad you put an extra 235$ in the pot, but you’ll get it back quickly I’m sure ! 🙂

[KelownaPokerDad (Matt)]

Thanks gents,

Yeah, hindsight is always 20:20! I definitely should have found a fold, and found a better spot. The backdrop to the hand, is that I hadn’t been at the table very long and could tell it was nitty. I announce that I’m going to give action and suggest a round of mandatory straddles… which they agree to. The action picks up as one would hope, and this hand was the last of the straddle pots.

If anything I’m learning from these spots, so that I don’t make these same mistakes again, when bigger stacks are on the line.

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