Bad plays from SB/BB

[PokerNeal]

Looking at my plays thus far I have seen that I make some of my worst plays from these two positions. The temptation to play from BB when you make an inferior hand is quite great. It is free and therefore you remain and many times get drawn into hands you have no business of being in. The temptation to put an extra chip and participate in the game from SB is also great. The result -- some horrible plays. Say you hold 10-8 and get the top pair on the flop. Given that you are in the game it is so hard to walk away from this. Invariably, you get beat by a player that has a higher kicker or makes a better pair. Examples abound.

[cferejohn]

[ QUOTE ]
Looking at my plays thus far I have seen that I make some of my worst plays from these two positions. The temptation to play from BB when you make an inferior hand is quite great. It is free and therefore you remain and many times get drawn into hands you have no business of being in. The temptation to put an extra chip and participate in the game from SB is also great. The result -- some horrible plays. Say you hold 10-8 and get the top pair on the flop. Given that you are in the game it is so hard to walk away from this. Invariably, you get beat by a player that has a higher kicker or makes a better pair. Examples abound.

[/ QUOTE ]

Generally, when the blinds are low, I'll bet out on the flop with TP/lousy kicker. If I'm played back at, I'll let it go unless I know this player to be extremely aggressive.

[Che]

[ QUOTE ]
Generally, when the blinds are low, I'll bet out on the flop with TP/lousy kicker. If I'm played back at, I'll let it go unless I know this player to be extremely aggressive.

[/ QUOTE ]

I will sometimes bet out in this situation, but I will also check-raise with TP-no kicker. I think the check-raise is often better if the pot is multiway and I'm very confident that the last-to-act player will autobet if checked to. Reasons:

1. If someone bets and gets raised or called, I can lay down my hand without investing anything.

2. When it works out, I win more chips. I risk more chips, of course, but that's the way it goes.

Sometimes the original bettor may come back over my raise representing an overpair, but I think folding to these bets is pretty safe since a big rereraise is very risky when the BB could easily have flopped 2-pair or a set. In other words, I'm willing to believe them even though they will sometimes be bluffing.

If they just call, I usually shut down unless I hit my kicker, but I will frequently check-call the river since so many opponents autobet if you check to them twice. In fact, if I still have top pair, I will almost always call (barring a particularly scary board - four flush, four straight, whatever).

Whether I bet out or c-r is situational and I try to mix it up so people aren't sure what I'm doing. When I do get caught on this and have to show down my weak hand or fold, I remember how I played it so that I can use an identical line if/when I do hit a set, 2-pair, or some wacky straight later on.

BTW the c-r also works against a last-to-act bettor when I hit second pair from the blinds. Similar line except I'm much less likely to call a river bet with second pair.

The key to all this is just to not take it too far. Nothing wrong with firing 80 at pot of 100 or 300 at a pot of 200 and then shutting down if it doesn't work out. When you get a fold, you win chips. When you don't get the fold, you train your opponents to pay you off when you do hit a hand. Both are good.

Later,
Che