NL10 ($0.05/$0.10) – No Limit Hold’em
As usual, here’s the link if you want to watch the hand go down.
Hero in the Small Blind
Preflop Action:
We’re five handed with the open seat on my immediate right. I’m dealt Ace of Diamonds, King of Clubs
Under the Gun folds to the Villain in Hijack/Cutoff (HI/CO), who raises to $0.25
Button folds
Hero raises to $0.50
Big Blind folds
HI/CO calls $0.25
Flop: (Pot: $1.05)
4♣ 4♦ 5♠
Hero bets $0.55
Villain calls $0.55
Turn: (Pot: $2.15)
6♦
Hero bets $1.10
Villain calls $1.10
River: (Pot: $4.35)
2♣
Hero checks
Villain checks
Showdown:
Hero: A♠ K♦ — Pair of Fours
Villain: Q♠ Q♦ — Two Pair, Queens and Fours
Result: Villain wins the pot.
Coach Analysis
Quick Hand Snapshot
- Stakes: $0.05 / $0.10 NL
- Hero: A♠K♦ (AK offsuit)
- Villain: QQ
- Action: Open → 3-bet → double barrel → check river
Preflop —
Mostly Fine, Slight Sizing Leak
Action:
Villain opens to $0.25
Hero 3-bets to $0.50
Assessment:
Your decision to 3-bet AK is 100% correct. This is a standard value 3-bet.
The issue is sizing.
At microstakes:
- Opens are usually too loose
- Players call 3-bets too wide
- You want maximum value and fold equity
Better sizing:
➡️ $0.75–$0.85 (≈3x open, or 4x if out of position)
Why?
- QQ still calls
- We deny cheap set-mining
- We simplify postflop SPR (stack-to-pot ratio)
Verdict:
✅ Correct action
⚠️ Raise size too small
Flop (4♣ 4♦ 5♠) —
Standard C-Bet, But Know Why
Pot: ~$1.05
Board: Paired, low, dry
Hero bets: $0.55 (≈52%)
This is fine, but it’s important to understand what you’re accomplishing.
What you’re repping:
- Overpairs (AA, KK)
- Big unpaired overcards with initiative
What you’re folding out:
- Random broadways
- Weak pocket pairs (66–99 sometimes)
What calls you:
- All pocket pairs
- Any 4x
- Occasionally floats
QQ never folds here.
Verdict:
✅ Bet is fine
🧠 Just recognize: this is a range bet, not a value bet
Turn (6♦) —
This Is the Real Mistake
Board: 4-4-5-6
Hero bets: $1.10
Villain calls
This card is bad for you and good for Villain’s range.
Why the turn is dangerous:
- Completes 66
- Adds straight draws
- Improves mid pocket pairs
- Villain’s range is now heavily condensed
After calling flop, Villain mostly has:
- 66–QQ
- 4x
- Occasionally 55
Your AK has:
- No equity
- No fold equity vs pocket pairs
- No blockers to Villain’s strongest continues
This is the spot where discipline matters.
Better options:
Option A (Best): Check turn
- Preserve stack
- Induce bluffs from missed hands
- Avoid lighting money on fire
Option B (Advanced): Small blocker bet (~$0.45)
- Only if Villain is capable of folding mid pairs
- Most micro players are not
Verdict:
❌ Turn barrel is -EV
❌ You’re betting into a range that beats or ignores you
River (2♣) —
Check Is Correct, But Too Late
You check. Villain checks back.
At this point:
- You never value bet
- You don’t turn AK into a bluff (nothing folds)
- Checking is mandatory
But the damage was already done on the turn.
Verdict:
✅ Correct river play
⏰ But the leak happened earlier
Big Picture: What Actually Went Wrong
1.
Over-barreling without fold equity
You continued aggression after Villain’s range became pair-heavy.
2.
Not respecting microstakes calling tendencies
At 5NL:
- Players hate folding pocket pairs
- Especially in 3-bet pots
- Especially on low, paired boards
3.
Sizing leak preflop
Smaller 3-bet created:
- Higher SPR
- More difficult postflop decisions
- Easier calls for Villain
How This Hand Should Look Ideally
Preflop:
3-bet to $0.80
Flop:
C-bet ~$0.50–$0.60 (fine)
Turn:
Check
- If Villain bets big → easy fold
- If Villain checks → re-evaluate river
You likely lose one street instead of two.
One Sentence Takeaway
AK is a value hand preflop, a range bet on the flop, and a disciplined check on bad turns at microstakes.