bunch of hands because i dunno what i'm doing ($100NL Stars)

1) No reads. Over-playing or okay?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($143.90)
SB ($102.05)
BB ($60)
UTG ($38.05)
MP ($92.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A, K.
1 fold, MP calls $1, Hero raises to $5, 2 folds, MP calls $4.

Flop: ($11.50) A, 2, 9 (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $10, MP raises to $20, Hero raises to $138.9


2) Villain is 39/22/2.25 over 100+ hands. I can't recall a time when he 3 bet PF so far, but I was playing a few tables so I can't be positive.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($195.50)
BB ($130.95)
UTG ($149.75)
Hero ($268.20)
CO ($91.90)
Button ($90.70)

Preflop: Hero is MP with Q, Q.
1 fold, Hero raises to $4, 3 folds, BB raises to $12, Hero calls $8.

Flop: ($24.50) K, 2, 6 (2 players)
BB bets $12, Hero ...?


3a) SB is the same villain as the last hand and his stats are now 40/23/2.19. By now, I don't think he 3-bets light. I have no reads at all on the BB. How the heck should I have played this and as played, do I fold or call?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($189.45)
SB ($154.75)
BB ($47.50)
Hero ($331)
MP ($153.20)
CO ($97)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, K.
Hero raises to $4, 3 folds, SB raises to $14, BB calls $13, Hero raises to $40, SB raises to $154.75, BB calls $33.50 (All-In), Hero ...?


3b) (accidentally had two #3s) Stupid basic question, but generally speaking (assuming no reads), what's the best line here? I've been pushing and I just want to make sure it's okay ...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($112.95)
SB ($110.85)
BB ($219.80)
Hero ($125)
MP ($35.40)
CO ($114.50)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K, K.
Hero raises to $4, 4 folds, BB calls $3.

Flop: ($8.50) 8, 2, 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $8, BB raises to $23, Hero raises to $121


4) I dunno why hands like this confuse me. Villain is 39/12/3.67 over almost 100 hands. Is there a better way to play this? If I'm gonna call an AI, should I just bet the turn?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($41)
Hero ($121.90)
BB ($84.40)
UTG ($57.75)
MP ($83.35)
CO ($32.70)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A, Q.
UTG calls $1, 3 folds, Hero raises to $5, 1 fold, UTG calls $4.

Flop: ($11) 7, A, J (2 players)
Hero bets $10, UTG raises to $20, Hero calls $10.

Turn: ($51) T (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $5, Hero calls $5.

River: ($61) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks


5) BU had small 3 bet me in an earlier hand with AA PF. I don't have reads on MP, only that his stats are 32/11/2 after 20 hands and that he talks too much at the table. How much should I raise here, if at all?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($100.45)
BB ($225.45)
UTG ($52.15)
MP ($113.05)
Hero ($99.50)
Button ($196)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, K.
UTG calls $1, MP calls $1, Hero raises to $6, Button raises to $11, 2 folds, UTG folds, MP calls $10, Hero ...?


6) No reads. I should have checked behind on the turn, right? As played, easy fold.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($139.95)
SB ($126.75)
Hero ($127.80)
UTG ($191.75)
MP ($112.95)
CO ($93.30)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8, Q.
1 fold, MP calls $1, 2 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($3) T, Q, Q (3 players)
SB bets $2, Hero raises to $6, MP folds, SB calls $4.

Turn: ($15) 5 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $10, SB raises to $27, Hero calls $17.

River: ($69) 6 (2 players)
SB bets $45, Hero folds.


7) Line check. No reads. Villain's stats are 37/16/3.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($110.25)
BB ($99.50)
UTG ($83.30)
MP ($319.70)
CO ($270.70)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5, 6.
UTG calls $1, MP calls $1, 1 fold, Hero raises to $6, SB calls $5.50, 1 fold, UTG calls $5, MP calls $5.

Flop: ($25) 8, 7, 6 (4 players)
SB bets $20, UTG folds, MP folds, Hero raises to $94

Hmm lots of hands here, but i have some free time so ill look through them all. Meh from what i've noticed most of these hands are all read dependent. You can see how important reads really are.

Hand 1)
Preflop: Standard
Flop: Tough spot here, do you have absolutely no reads? It looks like he has been at the table for at least a little bit... really anything at all to go on here may change my decision one way or the other. Its so tough to tell with an unknown if he is doing this with Ax (which you beat), or A2, A9, 22, FD, etc. However, the check/minraise is really suspicious. I probably just call and turn into a calling station as long as he doesn't shove/spade. Tough spot though.

Hand 2)
Preflop: I 4-bet this. It just makes it so much easier to play this hand.
Flop: I probably raise the flop, and give up to a call/reraise.

Hand 3)
Preflop: "By now, I don't think he 3-bets light". Here is where i am confused, you didn't 4bet qq preflop, but now your 4betting AKo when you know he doesn't 3 bet light? I just call the 3 bet and hope for an A/K on the flop...IMO def don't 4bet this. As played i fold to the 5bet, at best your 50/50 here, and i doubt your even that.

Hand 3 (2):
You have two hand 3's lol. Anyway, this is all read dependent imo. As you've said, you have no reads and you want to know what to do generally with no reads. I think most people with no reads will tell you to just lay it down here. Theres not a whole lot in the pot and a lot of the time your a huge 2 outer dog here so why bother? Is the guy really trying to get all his money in with A8 check raising you? Doubtful. Just fold and look for a better spot.

Hand 4)
Preflop: Standard
Flop: I just shove over his raise on the flop, hes so short and i think your ahead here a lot of the time plus it saves you any tough decisions on future streets. Just shove over his flop raise.

Hand 5)
Is 4 betting AKo preflop standard for you? With what you've said about the button i prolly just call his tiny raise and hope for a good flop. If for some reason you opt to 4bet here, i raise it to like 40ish, but i think i just call here.

Hand 6)
I don't think you need to check behind here. He hasn't given us much of an indication he has a Q yet. I probably play it like you did. Checking the turn for pot control wouldn't be too bad since no scare cards can come i guess. River is probably a fold, but its not that easy imo. It seems clear he has a Queen, its really just a question of how high, since your kicker is only a 8. As played i probably play it as you did.

Hand 7)
Preflop: I probably just limp behind here, especially if you have any indication you have a calling station table.
Flop: I don't want to get my money in on this flop right away, especially since its multiway. I don't like your shove at all. You have bottom pair and an oesd. No matter what your up against, your probably not a favorite. Unless you have some major reads that you have some crazy Fold Equity here, i probably just fold the flop. Maybe if your feeling frisky call, but i just fold it. I think you overplayed this hand in general.

hand 1: $8 bet probobly accomplishes the same thing. Maybe just call and fire a blank turn hard?
hand 2: fold as played. I 4-bet this vs. villaing w/ 39/22 stats, even if i havent seen him 3-bet much.
hand 3: ewwww. I think you have to call w/ so much dead money in already, but im not real happy about it.
hand 4: maybe lead river?
hand 5: call and see a flop.
hand 6: i have a hard time not calling here, but i think folding is correct.
hand 7: i usually just limp this behind. I think youre getting called here by a set/fd.

As an abbreviated response I'll tell you if I was sitting at a 100NL table with someone I could trigger into weak deep pushes holding TPTK, I would remain sitting.

Hands such as AK top pair on the flop are no longer automatic stack off hands at this level. The losing range doesn't pay it off enough. There are certainly a fair amount of exceptions, but for the most part it's a bad idea.

I am almost always against 3betting single pairs on the flop but in this case I'd do it because of several reasons

1. its 100nl
2. checkminraise...uggh
3. drawy board
4. if he's good, he's not check minraising a set, which means if he's good he doesnt have a set. If he's bad, he might be checkminraising a set, but he might also be checkminraising a lot of shitty hands that either don't deserve a cheap draw or are already toast to our tptk
5. the pot is pretty big, take it

even though I have 5 reasons, that doesn't make it an easy autopush every time. its just enough of a reason for me to push against an unknown checkminraising asshole this time. reason number 4 is kind of an assumption and its a weak one because his limp call preflop could very easily be a set hunter. not the best of spots but still I think i push