Chaz Chattha’s Cash Strategy

Scenario One

You’re playing in a $0.50/$1 cash game online. You are playing a $145 stack. You have Ac-Qs on the big blind and after a raise from under the gun to $3.50 and a call from the button you elect to re-raise to $9. Both the under-the-gun player and the button call. The flop comes Qc-6c-10d.

The river is a blank 2d. You check with the idea of check-calling and he surprises you by shoving. He has you covered. Should you call? The player is quite a tricky and aggressive player who is capable of value-shoving a 10 here.

Pre-flop
I don’t really like re-raising with A-Q for four reasons. Firstly the under-the-gun player has raised which – unless he is particularly tricky – means that he has some sort of hand. Secondly another player has called and A-Q really doesn’t play that well in a multi-way pot. The third reason is that if either the big blind or button were now to re-reraise, you would almost certainly have to fold as your A-Q would not be good. The fourth reason is that you don’t want the pot to get too big when you’re going to be out of position to two players on the flop. As such, I would much rather call with this hand.

Just as an aside, I think you can already start to narrow down the button’s range based on his initial limp – most of the time if a player calls an under the gun raise, he’s calling with small pairs, J-10 suited or suited cards.

Flop
I don’t think the flop check is that bad but I would usually bet my top-pair top-kicker here because the board is pretty draw heavy and checking the flop after re-raising pre-flop looks pretty suspicious.

Turn
The turn bet is pretty standard but once raised you have to get your thinking cap on. What I would do here depends a lot on the player that has raised me, that information would lead me to folding, just calling or even re-raising. In this scenario the player is described as tricky and aggressive and as your hand is quite underrepresented so I would try to win a nice pot here. You could re-raise but that would get rid of a lot of hands you are beating, so flat-calling isn’t too bad. I think this player is likely to have a hand that contains the ten like A-10,10s-9s, a hand that you are beating like K-Q, Q-J, a bluff or a big draw like Kc-Jc.

River
The hardest decision is on the river when he shoves on you. You have $49 invested, $95 back and the pot is around $110 before his shove. Against tight and standard ABC players this is usually a fold but against a tricky aggressive player I would opt towards a call. Instinct and reads would play a vital part in this hand but I think over 65% of the time this player is likely to say ‘nice hand’ when you call.

Scenario Two

You’re playing in a live £1/£1 no-limit hold’em cash game. You have a £150 stack, but a very TAG image. An arrogant guy on your left sits in the small blind. He is clearly a regular and has been caught bluffing twice already in small pots. He is playing £100.

It’s folded to you on the button with J-4 offsuit. You raise to £4. The small blind calls. The flop is 6-6-7 rainbow. He checks, you bet £7. He calls. The turn is an offsuit 4. He leads for £16, you call. The river comes a 10, he bets £25 and you call. Was the call good? What about the turn play, should you raise/fold? Would the villain ever play a big hand like this?

Pre-flop
The pre-flop raise and flop continuation bet are fine, but I would rather just slide J-4 off into the muck. You do have position but the small blind has already shown he is not afraid to mix it up and J-4 is not really the sort of hand that you want to be taking to war. Obviously raising it up is a much more preferable option to limping in – that would be an awful mistake.

Flop
We have entered the pot with a very bad hand to steal the blinds and when a regular is opting to call you out of position and then showing strong resistance you can’t really create a big pot unless you flop big. Now that you have bet, you have to be ready to switch off if he calls.

Turn
I don’t like the turn call, I would probably fold most of the time and raise sometimes (usually as a bluff) to represent a big hand.

River
I think this is a bad call on the river as you are only beating a complete bluff and given his past history he is very unlikely to bluff again.

Scenario Three

You are playing in a full ring $1/$2 cash game and are at a table full of loose chatty players. You haven’t played many hands and have a stack of $190 as most hands have been raised and re-raised pre-flop. You decide to try and get away from your tight image by straddling. There are three limps and the blinds both call when it gets back round to you. You look down at Ac-Ad and elect to raise to $15. You pick up one caller in the cut-off.

The river is the Ah. You bet out $40 as a blocker bet and he thinks for a long time before raising all-in. Can you ever call here? Should you bet on the river here or is it a little too thin?

Pre-flop
I like this raise here, just calling is not a prudent option as you have to get the limpers out. It must be nice to find Aces here given that you actually straddle in the hope of being dealt a big hand. Most of the limpers will feel that you’re going to be weak and that they’re getting value to call.

Flop
It’s a pretty decent flop for Aces, the cut-off could easily have K-Q or K-J there. However, I like the $30 bet and think it’s the correct move here.

Turn
The turn card is very ugly because it’s brought a flush and a straight card out. I don’t think leading out is that bad, and if you were to do it, then maybe make it $55-$65. If you’re then raised, you would just have to let it go. Having said that I don’t mind the check and even though it seems like quite a weak line to just check-fold on the turn, it would probably be the best option. It is very unlikely your one pair is winning here. When he checks behind on the turn, it’s pretty suspicious – he could be trying to trap with a big hand like the nut-flush. I would be very cautious now.

River
The blocker bet on the river is okay, I would probably be split between blocker betting and check calling/folding depending on the opponent. As we have taken this line in this scenario you should just pass when raised, and only ever make the crying call if you have a strong read and something doesn’t feel right. Remember that he only needs a Jack in his hand to beat you – I know Aces can be hard to put down, but they’re still only one pair at the end of the day.

You can read Chaz’s blog at www.pokerhitsquad.com