A fun line vs. a LAG

[private joker]

Opponent here will often bet a street when checked to. On a drawless board like this, where we almost certainly have the best hand and villain will have few outs to beat us, I think these turn check-raises are good plays, especially following this flop action. It's unorthodox and shouldn't in any way be standard, but it's a nice change-up when you know you can get an extra BB in.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif. CO posts a blind of $3.
<font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, MP3 calls, CO (poster) checks, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP3 calls, CO calls, SB calls.

Flop: (8 SB) A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 2/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 folds, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, SB folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, CO calls.

Turn: (7 BB) 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO calls.

River: (11 BB) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls.

Final Pot: 13 BB

[JTG51]

It should be close to standard if you think there's a very good chance your opponent will bet the turn with a worse hand.

Occasionally check raising the turn after being the aggressor on the flop also has meta-game benefits. It'll earn you future free cards when you need them and you are out of position.

[Nick C]

There was a time when I was doing this semi-regularly, with success, against 2/4 bet-if-checked-to types.

Then I started whiffing and cut way back.

Anyway, so long as you're not too worried about him folding correctly to the turn checkraise, I like it.

By the way, though, an ace plus a wheel draw is a hand I would consider here as a possibility, especially since CO is a poster.

All the same, I'd rather get two bets in on the turn than one versus that hand (and I doubt Villain is folding A4 or A5 on the turn anyway, though I'd like for him to), if I felt confident the checkraise would work.

[molawn2mo]

imho... this is a retarded sequence and probably costs you a sb in most cases. a flop 3 bet followed but a turn check or the "go n stop," heh, looks ridiculous.

why not just smooth call the flop and c/r the turn and guarantee the 2 bbs? seems like the risk outweighs the gain, as played.

but, it's your read and if it works...

[private joker]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar på:</font><hr />
imho... this is a retarded sequence and probably costs you a sb in most cases. a flop 3 bet followed but [sic] a turn check or the "go n stop," heh, looks ridiculous.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what my opponent was thinking after he scratched his head and paid me off.

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar på:</font><hr />
why not just smooth call the flop and c/r the turn and guarantee the 2 bbs?

[/ QUOTE ]

I do this a lot too, and it's a pretty standard/predictable line, but it's not any more a guarantee than the way I did it. Also, by 3-betting the flop and checking the turn, you tend to confuse inferior opponents and when people are confused they call down. Smooth-calling the flop and check-raising the turn is classic enough that most opponents would almost sooner fold to that line than to this one.

[Nick C]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
why not just smooth call the flop and c/r the turn and guarantee the 2 bbs?

[/ QUOTE ]

I do this a lot too, and it's a pretty standard/predictable line, but it's not any more a guarantee than the way I did it. Also, by 3-betting the flop and checking the turn, you tend to confuse inferior opponents and when people are confused they call down. Smooth-calling the flop and check-raising the turn is classic enough that most opponents would almost sooner fold to that line than to this one.

[/ QUOTE ]

The flop call, turn checkraise line is so standard (Joshua D called it "donk-standard" once) that I almost feel embarrassed when I do it with a strong made hand, heads-up.

Anyway, I agree with what you wrote here. I'll add this: In addition to being more likely to get called down after taking an irregular and confusing line, you're also more likely to whiff. So I'd like to have a solid read before making the play.

But you had one.

Another reason I like your turn checkraise in this posted hand is that your hand isn't strong enough, especially against a poster, that you want to go crazy with it on the big streets anyway. So one of the potential drawbacks of checkraising the turn -- that it'll work but you would have gotten to bet and then 3-bet if you had just led -- doesn't apply here so much. (If Villain raised a turn lead after just calling your flop 3-bet, I'd start to get worried.)