Playing a profitable Image

[Atropos]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (6 max, 4 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

UTG ($102.28)
Hero ($203)
SB ($342.4)
BB ($92.87)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. UTG posts a blind of $1.5. SB posts a blind of $0.5.
UTG (poster) checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $4</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls $3, UTG folds.

Flop: ($10) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets $4</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $12</font>, BB calls $8.

Turn: ($34) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $20</font>, BB calls $20.

River: ($74) 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets $15</font>, Hero calls $15.

Final Pot: $104

At the moment I'm one-tabling and trying to improve my game. I feel my reads on my opponents are very good and am in control of most games I play in. So I started experimenting with image plays, like raising a crap hand from the button, making a follow through bet on the flop and then show it if the bluff succeeds. I'm totally surprised how easy it is to tilt my opponents this way! The BB in this hand had started calling all my preflop raises with junk like T5o and did not fold 2nd pair to my flop bets. However this behaviour weakened my read on him since he became more loose and more aggressive, raising more often than calling. Thats why in this hand I did not really know if I was extracting ore wanted a cheap show down or want him to fold. How would you play this against a tilted opponent?

[theredpill5]

Probably the same way. I think no other online game tilts people more than 6 max NL. At least for me, anyway. I'd have to call his river bet, too.

[theredpill5]

I'm not so sure this guy was really tilted. A really tilted opponent will push with very marginal hands. I should know because I've done it. I pushed all-in with a J9 o on the turn with just a pair of jacks. I pushed for $100 . Yeah, that is tilt. This was months ago but I'll never forget it.

[Atropos]

"I'm not so sure this guy was really tilted. A really tilted opponent will push with very marginal hands. I should know because I've done it. I pushed all-in with a J9 o on the turn with just a pair of jacks. I pushed for $100 . Yeah, that is tilt. This was months ago but I'll never forget it."

Oh I have been there and done all that stuff. Bad thing is, I will probably do it again when the bad beats start rolling in /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Tilt is a question of definition too. He was surely not playing like an angered maniac who just wanted to kill me. But it was very clear that he changed his game against me, folding fewer hands against me, coldcalling more often, trying to bluff more often. That's why I think the river call is ok with pot odds and stuff. But shouldnt I raise against a tilt opponent to extract the max since if I lose I will have many opportunities to get my money back? (ok, thats an argument for not raising too, since I could wait for better spots).

[JoeyT]

I think your line is fine.

Opponents that think you're betting with some garbage will often fire the river as an attempt to value bet a marginal hand if they think you're not going to continue betting on the river. I think you need to make this call.

[Atropos]

"Opponents that think you're betting with some garbage will often fire the river as an attempt to value bet a marginal hand if they think you're not going to continue betting on the river. I think you need to make this call."

Would the hands be so marginal that they fold to a reraise?
I dont want to be in a situation where only good hands call and bad hands fold.
In other words do you think that a call is best here or should I reraise to get more value?

[JoeyT]

Yes this is a good question. Personally... I think this is a situation where calling is the best option. I'm interested in hearing others opinions on this as well... as this is a weaker point in my game.