Ok so I'd posted a hand where a bad 3 bet of 1010 had rightly got flamed.

So I took the advice on board to give more thought to 3 bets and not just do it for the spewy sake of aimless aggression. So here's a hand from tonight's session that illustrates how this hand should be played in this situation. I'll have a go at explaining why this is better than the monkey 3 bet line in the 1010 hand.

Villain ran 27/25 C bet 100% - only got 43 hands so no real reads.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.20 BB (6 handed) - Party-Poker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($19.70)
Hero (CO) ($20.85)
Button ($22.37)
SB ($3.43)
BB ($32.65)
UTG ($20.23)

Preflop: Hero is CO with J, J
1 fold, MP raises $0.80, Hero calls $0.80, Button calls $0.80, 2 folds

Flop: ($2.70) 8, 2, 10 (3 players)
MP bets $1.60, Hero calls $1.60, Button calls $1.60

Turn: ($7.50) 5 (3 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $5.70

Total pot: $7.50


Ok so why it's better to call pre.

1. Because we have a hand of value and do not want to be 4 bet as JJ is not in our stack off range against an unknown mp or utg opening villain. 3 betting here essentially turns our hand into a bluff in this situation as we are behind his likely 3 bet calling range and 4 betting range.

2. By 3 betting we do one of 2 things. Force smaller pairs and worse hands that we would like to play against to fold or force him to continue with only the top section of his opening range. For example AA KK QQ AK - this has us in dreadful shape equity wise.

3. We have position and want to use it to see a flop and out play villain - getting value post flop. The fact we have position makes up for the disadvantage of not having the lead in the hand.

Comments on hand pre and post flop welcome. Feel free to criticise if any of this thinking is bad.