Do You Use Auto Actions Or Wait To Your Turn?

[RED_RAIN]

My friend and I have had this discussion many times and we both argue opposite points.

I use the buttons on Empire to auto do my action when the decision is going to be obvious such as Ts-As with the "Raise" button clicked. I also have the "Fold" clicked with like 64o.

Now my friend likes to wait no matter what till it's his turn then to choose an action.

The debate goes heavily into hands that we are both going to PFR. Neither of us use the "Raise Any" button as find this just stupid to show that much aggression even if that will be our action. So let's say we are in MP2 both with AA. I have the "Raise" button clicked. So if it's folded around to me it will immediately raise when it gets to me. My friend will wait till it's to him then raise. He says by my auto raise it looks like I have "AA" every time probably to the average player. Also if it's a raise in front of us and both of us will 3 bet, my button is on "Raise" for an immediate effect and he will wait to 3 bet.

Same thing on flop, if I know my action, and it's checked to me after a PFR, it will immediately bet when it gets to me. My argument is I will do this when I have it or don't have it regardless. So if someone is always putting me on AK, they may call with bottom pair say screw that auto bet or maybe even raise me back. My friend says it will look too strong and people will be likely to fold a hand that he might get to call with his non-immediate bet.

So does anyone side one way or another. And my friend and I also discuss does it really matter either way that it actually makes a difference.

PS: I have no idea why the quotes in my post come up as "

[AncientPC]

I usually use it for the most part except for NL (obviously auto min-raising does nothing).

Preflop I usually use auto-actions with the exception of playing speculative hands in late position that depend on the number of players already in pot. In that case I wait until it's my turn before doing anything.

The only time I take note of someone taking their time is when they take an extraordinarly long time to call a raise, then I take it as a weak sign on their part. Then again I've been trapped the same way too, so it may be because of multi-tabling or tactics.

Edit: Oh yeah I also uncheck my auto-action if a lot of people are folding so I can try to steal blinds.

[jasonHoldEm]

I use auto fold and check/fold all the time...anything else I usually wait my turn to decide.

Occasionally I'll use raise any or check to mislead my opponents (because raise any implies strength and check makes it look like you have check/fold selected suggesting weakness). Generally speaking, against the opponents I play against they aren't observant enough to notice this sort of thing so I only do it against regulars who I know are "thinking" players.

J

[fnord_too]

Generally I only use auto fold (not check fold). If I am going to fold I don't give any information away by clicking it in advance. Occasionally, mainly in tournies, I will intentionally wait to fold just so when I am thinking and bet or raise it does not reveal any information (well, less information).

[edge]

The only auto action I use is the preflop fold button. Then again, I only 2-table, so I'm rarely in a hurry.

[Cleveland Guy]

I almost never use the auto action buttons. It's not always a tell, but I do have it marked in my notes that some people use it and use it only on big hands.

So if I get auto raised, or auto re-raised by a player I have marked for doing this with big hands, I'm usually have a good idea what I'm up against

[balkii]

are there really very many situations in poker where you are sure of what you want to do with a hand regardless of the previous action?

there aren't for me. the only time I use the auto button are to fold bad hands in early position (bad hands can become playable someimtes when folded to in LP) preflop.

[Cry Me A River]

As mentioned, I autoplay insta-folds preflop. Occaisionally in other auto-fold or auto-check situations (ie: pushes there's no way I can call).

I'll also auto-check when I'm slowplaying monsters (particularly in the blinds) since it really gives the impression you got nothing and you're hoping for free cards/a cheap showdown.

OTOH, waiting a long time before making an oversized bet/push virtually guarantees a call or two from fishy opponents (particularly after a slowplay as above).

[RED_RAIN]

If someone PFRes and I have JJ I will 3 bet no matter the action.

[bicyclekick]

[ QUOTE ]
If someone PFRes and I have JJ I will 3 bet no matter the action.

[/ QUOTE ]

what if a tight player raises and another tight player 3 bets. I fold jacks here.

I know this comes up like once in a milion but still.

[RED_RAIN]

Being if I have the "Raise" button clicked...if someone were to 3 bet in from of me, it will not auto do anything but give me the option to do something, thus no effect.

[Elvis]

On NL tables, I only use the "check" or "check/fold" buttons. Actually, the auto-check button can be a good tool when you want to trap someone. Your instant check may get your opponents to think you intended to "check/fold".

On limit tables, I use all the auto-actions available. Since auto-bet and auto-raise indicate a strong hand to some people, I regularly use it for marginal hands. Suppose I missed the flop, but I am last to act and want to bet if everyone checks to me. Then I click "Bet 1 unit". If someone bets before me, the "Bet 1 unit" is void (at least at Empire/Party) so I can then choose to fold.

I use "bet/raise" in the same way (mostly on marginal hands), but only when there is only one player left to act before me and I know I want to raise if he bets.

[QuickLearner]

I try to take the same amount of time to act no matter what. It's probably a waste of time at the smallest stakes, but I figure I should get used to not giving any information now, before I hit the stakes where people are watching.

[theghost]

I don't use 'check/fold' on the button (or ever); I almost always use autofold (who cares if you give anything away if you're no longer in the hand); I will use the 'raise' and 'raise any' buttons on occaision (particularly if I have action on another table) - this fast action could be interpreted either as a good hand or an intimidation ploy, so I don't think it matters what you do as long as you mix it up a bit. I wait my turn plenty too.

'Raise any' is fun.

[adamstewart]

Ditto. Reading your reply, I felt like I had written it. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[flair1239]

I use the fold button for obvious folds as a courtesy to the other players to help speed up the game.

I do not use the auto buttons for anything else, as ifeel it gives away information. Or makes people try to outguess you.

So in short, I only use them to fold.

[submariner]

I voted No, I use them only for fold and check/fold.

[RED_RAIN]

I see lots of replies to what people do.

How about this question.

Do you think I'm losing or perhaps even gaining money by using the auto actions a lot preflop and post flop?

[Neil Stevens]

Auto-fold at the start of a hand is handy.

Auto-"Raise any" in an NL game is funny. It's fun to watch two people go back and forth raising a little bit, over and over and over, until someone remembers it's NL and just pushes in.

[BusterStacks]

"Raise Any" if I have an ace.

[submariner]

When someone is using autobet or autoraise (especially autoraise), it makes me feel that they have a strong hand (or at least think they do).

And I am talking "feeling" here, not thought process. I realize this may be exactly the result they want. Or it may be meaningless. This makes me reevaluate my hand and the board. Tho I probly shouldn't be, I think I am more likely to fold to someone doing this. That is, I am more likely to believe in the hand they are trying to represent.

Again, I try to be analytical about it and base my action on the facts, but still my feeling comes into play some too.

So I would say that if you are using it when you want folds, it could be helping you. But if you use it when you don't want folds, it could be hurting.