Check raising w/ overpairs [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

Luzion

07-14-2004, 07:51 PM

When I'm in early position and have already raised preflop, I sometimes do a check raise if the board looks fairly safe and I'm confident that the person/people behind me will try to make a stab at the pot. Is this an okay strategy to be doing at my current level of NL50 on party? I feel that if I always bet out right away on the flop that I am losing the chance to induce a bet. Here are some examples.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif.
5 folds, MP3 calls $1, CO calls $1, 2 folds, Hero raises to $4, MP3 calls $3, CO folds.

Flop: ($9.50) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $10, Hero raises to $25, MP3 folds.

Final Pot: $44.50
Main Pot: $29.50, won by Hero.
Pot 2: $15, returned to Hero.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $1, Hero raises to $5, 3 folds, CO calls $5, 3 folds, UTG+1 folds.

Flop: ($12.50) T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $7, Hero raises to $18, CO folds.

Final Pot: $37.50
Main Pot: $26.50, won by Hero.
Pot 2: $11, returned to Hero.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif.
2 folds, UTG+2 calls $1, 3 folds, CO calls $1, Button calls $1, SB completes, Hero raises to $6, UTG+2 calls $5, CO calls $5, Button folds, SB folds.

Flop: ($20) 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 4/images/graemlins/club.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets $4, CO folds, Hero raises to $8, UTG+2 calls $4.

Turn: ($36) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $20, UTG+2 calls $20.

River: ($76) 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $16 (All-In), UTG+2 calls $14.60 (All-In).

Final Pot: $106.60
Main Pot: $105.20, between Hero and UTG+2. > Pot won by Hero ($105.20).
Pot 2: $1.40, returned to Hero.

Results in white below: 
Hero shows Ah Ac (one pair, aces).
UTG+2 shows 8s Qs (one pair, eights).
Outcome: Hero wins $106.60. 

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Hero raises to $5, 4 folds, MP3 calls $5, 4 folds,

Flop: ($11.50) 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $10, Hero raises to $25, MP3 calls $15.

Turn: ($61.50) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $25, MP3 raises to $50, Hero raises to $58 (All-In), MP3 calls $8.

River: ($177.50) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $177.50
Main Pot: $177.50, between MP3 and Hero. > Pot won by Hero ($177.50).

Results in white below: 
Hero shows Ad Ah (two pair, aces and fives).
MP3 shows Ks 9c (two pair, kings and nines).
Outcome: Hero wins $177.50. 

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif. MP1 posts a blind of $1.
2 folds, UTG+2 raises to $3, 2 folds, MP3 calls $3, 3 folds, Hero raises to $10, UTG+2 calls $7, MP3 calls $7.

Flop: ($31.50) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 checks, MP3 bets $25, Hero raises to $35 (All-In), UTG+2 folds, MP3 calls $10.

Turn: ($101.50) J/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($101.50) 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $101.50
Main Pot: $101.50, between MP3 and Hero. > Pot won by MP3 ($101.50).

Results in white below: 
Hero shows Ad Ah (one pair, aces).
MP3 shows Js Jh (three of a kind, jacks).
Outcome: MP3 wins $101.50. 

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 TEHero***** (6 handed)

Preflop: Hero TEHero%%%%%K/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls $1, Hero raises to $6, 1 fold, Button calls $6, 2 folds, UTG folds.

Flop: ($14.50) 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $5, Hero raises to $10, Button calls $1.80 (All-In).

Turn: ($31.30) 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($31.30) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $31.30
Main Pot: $28.10, between Button and Hero. > Pot won by Hero ($28.10).
Pot 2: $3.20, returned to Hero.

Results in white below: 
Hero shows Kc Ks (one pair, kings).
Button shows Ah Th (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins $31.30. 

What do you think of this strategy? Is it okay to do from time to time or do you think betting out on the flop right away is the way to go? Also comments on the check raising amount is appreciated. Min check raise or raise more? I notice when I do a min check raise that my opponents are more likely to call.

Ideas? Comments?

MrFroggyX

07-14-2004, 08:18 PM

This is exactly my strategy! (And I play on Party's NL$50 tables also)
And it has several advantages over the "regular" strategy to bet out on the flop.

1. As you say you induce a bet by a worse hand.

2. It adds deceptiveness to your game.. And sometimes when you don't have a hand you can get free cards because your opponents are afraid that you will check raise them.

3. But the most important reason is because with the 50xBB stacks at party it's hard to get away with an overpair or TPTK when someone has a set or two pairs. First you raise preflop, bet a pot-sized bet on the flop, and a bet on the turn. Where you will often get re-raised by a better hand and you have to call off your stack because the pot is so big and you (or your opponent) don't have much money left.

Instead I much rather go for a check-raise on the flop. You raise pre-flop, you check-raises on the flop. If the opponents comes over the top once more, great..! Then you can drop your TPTK or overpair. And save half off your stack. And if your opponents also check's on the flop. Well that’s also not so bad.. You are one step closer to showdown with your pair (overpair or TPTK).

Luzion

07-15-2004, 07:12 PM

I like your point #3. I never thought about it before and it makes a lot of sense. If Im playing with a larger stack I need to be able to lay down overpairs on the flop and it sounds like your strategy is a very good start. Thanks.