Seeker Start Quick Tip: Handling Marginal Hands on Monotone Boards

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Author: Sigma (Twitter: @sigm_4)

When you hold a marginal hand on a monotone board in EP (hero) vs. BB SRP, are you instantly checking back?

For example, as shown in Figure 1, if you hold JdTd on a KsTs7s flop in UTG (hero) vs. BB SRP, are you planning to check through flop-turn-river?

What about Kd5d? Are you thinking "I'll check the flop, and if no spade falls, maybe fire one bet on the turn or river"? How much are you considering the possibility of a flop C-bet?

In EP vs. BB SRP, the range EQ gap on broadway-high boards is large, and BB folds frequently against EP's bets. While monotone boards may feel like both ranges are evenly matched, EP actually holds many hands with relatively high EQ. Because of this, while EP can't pure C-bet the entire range, every hand can bet at some frequency with a small size [Figure 1]. This forces over 40% of BB's range to fold, denying their equity (preventing them from seeing turn and river cards).

The image for marginal hands is: fire one cheap bet on the flop, pick up folds about 40% of the time, get called (or raised) about 60% of the time and proceed to the turn, then coast to the river holding around 45% EQ with TPWK or around 30% EQ with second pair. After betting a marginal hand on the flop, the main line is check-around on both turn and river, though there are situations where you continue betting. More on that in a future Quick Tip!

Quick Tip Summary

On EP vs. BB SRP monotone broadway-high boards, keep the option of C-betting marginal hands.