5/5 NLHE Flop decision against maniac and solid player

Question

Not my hand...

Villian 1, complete spewtard, he is down ~2K, been raising like an idiot preflop to 30-50 when the table is opening to 15-20. In total gamble mode.

Villian 2, Prob the best player at the table, knows the situtation and definately picks his spots at the right time. Is down ~1250 at this point.

Hero, Super tight, viewed as Weeeeeak, because I really am. Just doubled a couple orbits before after I limp shoved to an aggro 3-better. My AK>AQ.

Hero SB ~700
Villian 1 MP ~ 600
Villian 2 BTN ~ 800

Villian 1 opens to 25, CO Calls, BTN Calls, Hero Calls with K♥J♥, BB Folds.

Flop ($105)
J♣ 8♥ 4♠

Hero Checks, Villian 1 bets 55, CO Folds, BTN Calls, Hero .............

I think Villian 1 is FOS and really want to raise here, whats the best way to proceed. ?

Answer 1

Bad Villain #1 appears to have a very wide range here if your description is accurate. I'd say there are a few particularly important things to consider...

• How aggressive is he 'In Position' (IP)?
• How does his range differ from when he is the last to act, compared to when he's leading into multiple opponents?
• How has he responded to aggression up until now?

Assuming you don't get any heavy action from villain #2, and the board runs out low and non coordinated, check calling is about all you can do, or you'l likely overplay your hand.

If villain keeps betting half pot all the way through the turn, he'll have very close to a pot sized bet at the river. If you can assume he'll do this and you're willing to take this one-pair, good kicker hand to showdown, check-calling the flop and turn, and check-shoving the river seems a viable line to have the spewtard barrel off a bluff. Shoving is far less desirable if villain #2 is still in the hand of course.

As I suggested, of primary concern is not overplaying our hand I'd think and knowing how both villains ranges change with multiple opponents still in the hand will help us understand the thinness of our equity. Whether we have a value hand or a bluff is relative to this.

I'd get into a range analysis but the info isn't readily apparent from the hand history, so as it is I'd check-call most streets with the intention of getting it All-In at some point, generally the river, but only against the worse opponent. Otherwise I'm inclined to be very cautious.

Answer 2

You make it 220 and raise/call any raise, shove turn if called. Afterwards you proceed by not being tight and weak, because its well known that its not a winning style of play.

Answer 3

He's a complete spewtard but that doesn't mean I raise here, it would make you look very strong (tight weak image) even to him and you possibly get him to fold out a lot of worse hands which narrows his range a lot.

C/R flop also comes with the additional problem of what to do on the turn:

a) When he calls

b) When he re-raises

We're OOP so the turn is going to play really tricky if you raise here and he flats.

I'd call here and see what the turn brings. I think we are ahead here 95% of the time but I'm not wanting to bloat the pot this early in the hand OOP and there aren't that many scare cards that could come. Keep both your ranges wide open.

Answer 4

If the positions of villain 1 and villain 2 were reversed, I'd definitely raise: It would put maximum pressure on the good player, as he would now be facing a raise with the maniac behind him yet to act, and he will most likely fold all but his strongest hands, leaving you alone with the the worst player, which is what you'd want.

In the situation you describe however, I would just call. No sense on putting the squeeze on the bad player while leaving you alone with the best player. Or even worse: If the bad player calls, the good player is now getting a very good price to draw, and you've succeeded only in inflating the pot while holding a marginal hand.

Answer 5

You have top pair (jacks) a pretty good hand, but not really strong enough to try to chase players out. I'd just call here, since there are two more cards to come, and wait for the turn card.

If the fourth card is a heart (except for the ace), the hero is in a strong position here. Top pair MAY be the best hand, and if it's not, there is a "redraw" on the river card to a heart flush that beats a made straight. Here, you can think about "shoving" or accepting a shove. The danger is that one of the villains has something like T9 (just good enough to play with) and is drawing to a straight.

If the turn card is not a heart, and is Q or 7 that might have made someone a straight, watch out. It's best to fold if the betting gets too heavy. "Loose" players get that characterization from pre-flop play (calling with T9), but are actually more likely to "have them," post-flop.

If the fourth card is a blank, you PROBABLY have the best hand. If not, your top pair might improve to a high two pair on the river that beats other two pair (but not a set).