Limit holdem hand - SB trip aces out of position

[Dan Druff]

30/60 online shorthanded (4 people)

Button raises
Hero (SB) 3-bets with A8o
BB folds, button calls

Flop AA2, two hearts

Hero bets, button calls

Turn Qd

Hero bets, button raises, hero 3 bets, button thinks and calls

River Kh

Hero bets, button thinks and calls

Button shows 5h9h and wins with flush


Commentary next post

[Dan Druff]

At first, this seems spewy.

Why would I 3-bet trip aces on turn with an 8 kicker, when I'm either way ahead or way behind?

This is because it's a shorthanded game, and the button did not cap pre. This drastically lowers the chance that he has me outkicked. There's also a flush draw out there.

But still... if he doesn't have me beat, then what does he have? Why would I want to run off an inferior hand which might be drawing dead?

This is because people hate folding shorthanded in spots like these, where there's any showdown value. So if he caught a queen and erroneously thought he had the best hand (or has Q plus flush draw), he will probably call the 3-bet and the river, no matter what falls. If he has any kind of draw, even a gutshot, he is calling at least the turn.

Also, my 3-bet on the turn could easily say 22, AK, or AQ (all would be 3-bet pre), so he's not likely to 4-bet AT/AJ, and maybe not even AK.


When the Kh hits the river, I'm not thrilled, as now he got there with a flush. I'm not worried about AK. That's why I bet. He doesn't want to raise the river because he fears I have a boat. No point to check, because he's betting with a flush and calling with a flush, so might as well get value if he can't beat me.

This one didn't work out, but I put in the optimal money when ahead the entire way, and on the river, I was losing one bet anyway.