PLO $50 at Partypoker. I am playing 4 tables and have PTO and PAHUD running. In total I am up a few buyins and playing pretty well.

Reads:

Villain #1 (Fish) is running at 93/2. He's very passive but did check/raise all-in with bottom set once on a ragged flop and got busted by top set. I played a hand against him before that stood out:

I have AAKJs in the BB and check it, we're only 3 to the flop. I flop the nut flush draw on a Q85 board and pot it, Fish calls. Turn brings the flush and he calls another PSB, river pairs the Q and he calls again and drags with the bottom full. So this time he only called on the flop/turn/river with bottom set/full. I assume he figured out that bottom set < nuts.

He's obviously playing pretty much anything preflop and he seems to want to chase down most if not all draws. He build his stack now by chasing a double gutshot on a 2-suit board heads up and getting paid off on the river (he bet his non-nut straight after opponent checked and the board was paired, it was pretty obvious he had the best hand though). He seems pretty "honest". Oh, and he's German.

Villain #2 (TAG) is the preflop raiser, he doesn't play a big part but he's *very* tight (vpip 18) but raises a *lot* of hands (pfr: 11) preflop so just because he's tight and raises doesn't mean he has aces.


My table image:

I play somewhat tighter than average (30) and don't raise too much (5) preflop but I do tend to bet pretty often post flop, but often fold to real aggression. Basically I am stealing a bit in LP and betting my draws pretty religiously in the rare shorthanded pots. Aggression factor is close to 3/2/1


The Hand:

I've got in middle position, Fish is immediatly on my right and TAG is a few seats behind him. I start out with $121, fish has me covered and most others have about a full buyin.

Two EP limpers to me and I limp behind.

If the hand was suited I would often raise it, pretty much always from LP, but I don't think it's a real premium hand when it is rainbow although I will of course play it from any position for a limp.

Fish limps of course as does another player, then TAG raises to $3.50

Blinds and one EP limper folds but the other one calls. I call which of course means both players between me and the raiser calls as well.

I think this hand is worth calling with, it's not a real premium hand but all the cards work together and you will be hitting to the nuts with any straights

Flop comes: and has $18 in it.

EP limper checks and I pot it. Fish calls and everyone else folds.

I figured I had to bet here. TAG will raise me if he has AA (maybe with TT too) and I can muck it knowing I am beaten, but I really don't think I can risk a free card here and the TAG is unlikely to make a continuation bet in a 5-way pot. When the fish calls I figure him for A8, 88 or a straight draw.

Turn comes: and pot is at $54

I think for a long time and check, Fish thinks for a while and checks behind.

I checked intending to fold to a PSB here. I don't feel sure my top two is the best hand and if I bet I will committ my whole stack pretty much. If I am behind to 88 I have a lot of live outs and may get a free card but I am 100% sure he will not fold a hand that beats me (ie: bottom set). Of course the heart draw that appeared is a bit worrysome but my opponent seems very predictable so far so I should be able to outplay him on the river (ie: extract if ahead and get away if behind).

River comes:

I think for a while and then make a block bet of $10.50 into the $54 pot. He thinks for a while and then makes it $46.50.


Should I call or should I fold? I have my reasoning pretty clear but I'll leave that out for now. I think there's a lot of information to base the decisions on. I'm interested in feedback on all streets, not just the river.

Hmm. I agree that you should call (for all the reasons mentioned) against most players, but against this particular player I'm still hesitant to believe it's correct. At the very least this hand would prompt me to change my read on this player.

Not betting the turn seems to be a marginal mistake.

I would probably call the river if I thought he was good & tricky or terrible and fold if he's somewhere in between. You know my feelings on blocking bets, most of the time I think it's a bit sucky but I guess if this guy's reasonably passive it's not too bad. Still, it wouldn't be my choice, I'd much rather check-call here.