What is the long term +ve EV on defending blinds (Cash Game)

Discectomy

Dear Friends,

I appreciate that protecting the blinds is not as important in cash games compared to tournament.

However I am leaking money in situations as below:

Cash Game Villain (Button) and Hero (BB) with AJ offsuited

Villain raises 4 x B (standard raise and posible blind steal)
Hero Calls with AJ Offsuited
Flop comes rags
Hero checks to pre flop raiser
Villain Raises to half pot (Standard Continuation Bet)
Hero - Folds

Is this the best +EV Play?

Options on Flop:
1) Check Fold
2) Check Call? (Weak play - no information on villain and chasing cards)
3) Check raise flop with view to check fold tun if villain calls and Ace doesnt show. (Strong but risky)
4) To bet into preflop raiser with 3/4 or pt sized bet.

Many thanks for thoughts - I vary my play but cant fathom the statistical correct EV+ play for AJ defending blinds

Phil

Lambert180

To be fair it really depends on the villian in question. If he is the kind of player that is just relentlessly betting the button then you have 2 options

1) Don't play pots with him in this scenario, just fold your AJ.

OR

2) Make a stand, I notice you completely disregarded 3betting him pre-flop, not always great OOP with AJ, but if he's really laggy it might not be so bad.

It does also depends on what stakes your playing. I'm playing alot of 4NL at the moment so would be much more prone to just folding pre-flop as there's no need to play marginal hands OOP. As you said in your OP, defending blinds in cash is just not half as important as in MTTs.

rancid

sometiems 3 bet, sometimes call

liamboi11

imo dont think I ever fold aj in the blinds to serial button raiser i`m calling at least and see what kinda flop comes and depending on board if I continue for example.

if you hit top pair etc your not folding on flop but  it can come dry flops like k73/q62 i may float oop with a plan on turn or c/r cause it could have easily missed my opponent and your showing aggression which may take pot down there and then.

or you can just 3bet pre flop hopefully take it down there and if not and goes to flop you can cbet certain flops which looks like hit your range or miss your opponents range etc.

I also disagree I think defending your blinds in cash is important because if you don`t your just going to be an easy target for players in the cutoff/button/sb as they could raise any 2 knowing your goin to fold unless you have premiums which means when yo do 3bet out the blinds people will just fold and you wont get paid with your big hands and makes you weak and predictable.

hope this helps

1267

offsuited.   lol

died

The beauty of cash is you can wait for your spots. If you're not comfortable then what's the point in putting yourself in a bad situation. Either 3-bet him big (which will work if you're usually tight) or just fold, and if he carries on in the hand then you should probably just accept that you're being outplayed and maybe change table.

AJo really isn't that great a hand. If you think he's just trying it on raising every single button, then make a stand, 3 and even 4-betting. At least if you lose one big pot he might figure it's not worth making moves on you with air in the future cause he knows you'll go all the way. That could leave the rest of the session with your raises oop being respected by him.

grantorino

Just cos he raises btn a lot doesn't mean we should 3b AJ

Also if we win can manage to average a small amount more than in pot when we flop well, we can fold everytime we miss and stay profitable. Pick a couple of spots to bluff c/r postflop to add to your EV.

TPTP123

Your kinda approaching this problem ineffectively imo, as your thinking too "generically" about the situation without including vital factors:- 

• * What are the Stacks Sizes
• * Villain Type & Tendencies
• * Villains Estimated Range
• * Our Equity based on Villain Range

EV calculations are pretty simple really, just google them and you'll get an whole array of information to practise with once you've spent some time putting the above together for a particular flop. 

P.S. Defending the blinds in Cash is more important then in tournements. A bad reg can counterfeit all of his UTG-BN winnings from the blinds if he isn't playing sensibly.