DECISION POINT: In a loose $1/$2 cash game with frequent preflop calls you raise from Under The Gun with A♦A♠ to $16 (the standard in this game) and get called by a Middle Position player and the Button. The flop comes 6♥6♣9♥. You continuation bet $22, MP2 calls, and the Button goes all-in for $104. Action is on you, what do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing in a very loose $1/$2 cash game with frequent preflop calls. The standard raise is $16 and we are dealt AdAs Under The Gun. In loose games like this where the standard raise is so high (8 big blinds) generally we will open a much narrower range than normal for Under The Gun but obviously aces is still a hand we’re going to open. We make it $16 and both MP2 and the Button call with everyone else folding.

The flop is 6h6c9h. This is a very standard continuation spot, even against two other players, and we bet $22. MP2 calls and then the Button moves all-in for $104. Many players get very scared in this spot and just assume their opponent has a 6. One way to review our options is looking at best case scenarios and worst case scenarios.

In the best case scenario, the Button is moving all-in with some 9x hands in addition to 6x hands, flush draws, and 87s. In that scenario we are nearly a 70% favorite and it’s a slam dunk. For the worst case scenario where the Button ONLY has 6x hands, 66, 99, ace high flush draws, and 87s only of hearts, we have 28% equity. There is already $199 in the pot and we only have to call $82 more, so even in the worst case scenario we are about break even.

Now we didn’t break down the absolute worst case scenario, which is where we continue and MP2 has a monster.

Since this is a very loose game preflop, MP2 will have some 6x in their range but should also have a ton of 9x/flush draws/87s/88/77 type hands in their range as well. When they do continue we will be pot committed to continuing as well but given the loose nature of this game we should still have a substantial edge over their entire range.

Another factor to consider is where we are in our range. While in a loose, low stakes cash game it is unlikely we would be exploited here, it is important to note that AA is probably the best hand in our range here other than 99. If we are folding AA we are folding almost every time we get raised on the flop. While that may not be a key factor here it is always important to consider where you are at in your overall range against tougher competition. Often if you are in the top 25% of your range you will have a compelling reason to continue otherwise you start folding so often you open yourself up to bluffs.

The last thing to consider is if we’re going to continue, should we call or raise? If we just call here we are giving flush draws a good price to continue, but raising could possibly fold out 9x type hands or 88/77 that we have drawing really dead. Flush draws are also missing the Ah as an out since that gives us a full house.

If we had information that our opponent was likely to call with 9x here when we shove we could make a very compelling case for raising but as things stand if we call it’s quite likely that MP2 will continue with many hands that are drawing very thin against us and feel pot committed if any more money goes into the pot.

There is slightly higher variance to just calling but in looser games where our opponent can easily have 9x/88/77/TT type hands here the extra reward on our risk is worth it.

Calling is the best play.