Destination: SSNL, Part 4

• Verneer concentrates on button play and when we should be calling or 3-betting. He goes over a bunch adamwil's HH in detail and explains his thought process.
• This video pointed out quite a few mistakes I have been making. I need to pay more attention to the blinds and whether I want them to come along or not. 
• A few things you can address to improve your redline:
• Picking up dead money:
• Stealing the blinds
• The button as the Gatekeeper
• Re-stealing vs. regulars
• Isolating fish
• The Button is a Gatekeeper
• If the CO opens, check the blinds:
• Weaker players: call more on the BTN vs the CO open.
• Stronger players: 3-bet more on the BTN vs the CO open.
• It's your BTN: Act like you own it
• Most fish slowplay sets for the same reason they slowplay AA; because it is very strong and hard to make.

Hand examples:

10NL 6max - MP fish (50/6) calls $0.10, CO LAG (62/37) raises to $0.20, SB fish (33/17), BB fish (55/4). Hero is OTB with ATss, Hero?

• If the blinds were regulars who can potentially squeeze, a 3-bet would be preferable to isolate the CO. In this case, everyone at the table is a fish and is not likely to 3-bet. We can call OTB and expect the SB, BB, and MP limper to come along with dominated hands. Our hands plays decently well multi-way and flops strong draws and good TP.

10NL 6max - MP fish (72/4) calls $0.10, CO regish (26/17) raises to $0.40, SB fish (35/9), BB fish (50/13). Hero is OTB with KTcc, Hero?

• This spot is similar to the one above except the CO is a regish player. The CO likely knows that he can isolate the MP limper wide which makes KTcc a playable hand. We have the option to 3-bet or call and a quick glance at the blinds indicate that a call may be more profitable. If we had a hand like A9o, a 3-bet is better.

10NL 6max - CO reg (16/13) raises to $0.30, SB fish (39/0), BB fish (49/5). Hero is OTB with AdQs, Hero?

• Again, with two fishes in the blinds, it is better to call and get them to come along. 3-betting AQ wouldn't be bad here but if the reg 4-bets us, we will have to fold.

10NL 6max - CO reg (22/18) raises to $0.40, SB reg (19/15, 3-bet 5%), BB regish (26/16, 3-bet 8%). Hero is OTB with AcAh, Hero?

• This is a pretty interesting spot. The Hero ends up 3-betting, but calling is also a viable option. In my mind, there is a long list of pros, but short list of cons.
• Pros to calling:
• BB has high 3-bet % and may squeeze.
• Deception.
• Strongest hand in nlhe, hand is more or less invulnerable.
• Keep CO's range wide and get value from that range post-flop.
• Can still stack his monsters post-flop most of the time.
• Cons to calling:
• Do not stack CO pre-flop the times he has a legitimate hand.
• Blinds might end up calling instead of 3-betting.

10nl 6max - CO LAG (36/26) raises to $0.30, SB reg (19/15/ 3-bet 5%), BB reg (20/15 3-bet 5%). Hero is OTB with ATcc, Hero?

• With two regs in the blinds and a LAG opener, 3-betting is probably better than calling. If the CO folds to 3-bets a lot, a call might be better to keep in his dominated hands. The blinds don't seem to be squeeze happy so thats not much of a worry.

10nl 6max - CO regish (26/21) raises to $0.30, SB reg (24/19, 3-bet 9%), BB reg (22/17, 3-bet 12%). Hero is OTB with KdJc, Hero?

• This would be a great spot to call with AA or KK because the blinds are very squeeze happy, but with KJo, a 3-bet to isolate the CO is better. We want to either get it HU or take it down pre-flop.

10nl 6max - CO nit (11/9) raises to $0.35, SB fishy (23/10, 3-bet 4%), BB TAG (16/15, 3-bet 6%). Hero is  OTB with QhJc, Hero?

• Learned a little something from this hand. I wouldn't fault anyone for folding in this spot, I would too, but it seems a 3-bet even against a nit is very profitable. Nits will play their hand face up by 4-betting the top of their range, calling with low-medium pocket pairs to setmine, and folding everything else. If we give a nit a poker stove range of 14.9% from the CO (22+,A8s+,KTs+,QTs+,JTs,ATo+,KJo+) and assume he continues with 7.4% of his range (22+,AQs+,AKo), he will fold to a 3-bet ~50% (should be slightly higher because I did not account for our Q and J blockers). 3-betting in a vacuum is not profitable, but we will win a lot pots post-flop when he misses his set.