Psychology of check-raising

[mdlm]

What percentage of the time does someone need to check-raise you on the flop in a heads-up situation for you to think twice about bluff betting?

[Dynasty]

The % is dependent on the size of the pot.

[Ulysses]

37%

[Jeffage]

You know what they say about statistics...83.7% of them are made up on the spot. =)

Jeff

[thebroker]

..............and slice you a piece of the pie. Have you ever actually played this game game for money????????????????

[KrackedKings]

mdlm,

There are, of course, different levels of games, but the nice thing about check-raising after the flop is that seems to send a message of strength to even the near-calling-stations and will actually get some of those people to fold.

I look at this check-raising problem from the opposite tact, how often do I have to be holding a strong hand and check-raise after the flop, to offset my check-raise bluffs. And it's more multidimensional then that, most often it's can be better to either bet out or slow-play, depending on the situation.

First, if I'm almost certain that my opponent is way behind (he/she has nothing and any card they catch will make them second best) -- I check, then call, if they are aggressive enough to bet out.

Second, there seems to be a level of player who if you don't check-raise them with a good to excellent hand, will assume you don't have very much or are on a draw. This player you bet right into as they expect a check-raise with a strong hand. These players will as least call you down, and sometimes put in a raise as they look at your play as weak.

That having been said, it looks like a check-raise with a strong hand is the last thing you would want to do...
Except, if you are going to occasionally bluff check-raise, you absolutely must check-raise with strength also.

Currently I :
60% check-raise on strength
40% check-raise bluff
When the conditions don't demand betting out or slow-playing
Betting out is my most common play. And I bet into the flop depending on the situation -- the look of the flop cards, how my opponent bet preflop, etc. Anotherword, if I have nothing on the flop -- it's decision time between folding, betting out, or check-raising. Have I overused any of these tactics (check-raise bluff or bet out bluff) too often?

MMMMMM..... I think I'll pick up your book, even though I haven't studied chess in years. Went over 1001 Sacrafices and Combinations by Reinfield until I wore it out though.
Long ago.

Kraaaaaacked Again...