Call a donk bet on a monotone board?

[Jinx]

2nd hand on this table, so I have an excuse for not having a read.

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

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, CO calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB calls.

Flop: (6.33 SB) 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO folds, BB calls.

Turn: (4.16 BB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls.

River: (6.16 BB) K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, Hero ...

[Rubeskies]

Without a read I would call.

This is a huge bluff card and it is never fun to get Clarkmeistered.

Calling also gets you a read on this player and helps with meta-game purposes so people might not be as inclined to take shots at you.

Players with a weak hand in this situation that they want to showdown here such as a medium PP or a T and maybe even a weak Q will donk here thinking you might fold a better hand because of the scary river card.

Along with all the meta-game and read stuff I think a call here will show a profit getting 7:1

[Lmn55d]

Rube, I've heard a lot about this "Clarkmeister Theorem." I know it pertains to betting when you're first to act when a 4 flush is on board. Can you give me any more details about it or provide me with a link? Thanks.

[Rubeskies]

I don't have a link off hand but my understanding of it is that, like you said, almost anytime you are heads-up out of position on the river and the 4th flush card hits the board, always bet out.

There are some exceptions such as if you it just completed your nut flush and you think you get get in a profitable check/raise and there are some others too.

But the reason this has become considered a solid strategy is because many of these good things can happen.

1.) Your opponent might fold a better hand. (Obviously wonderful)
2.) You stop him from checking behind with a worse hand.
3.) Even when you bet and he calls with a better hand he is going to have a real hard time raising without a big flush so it costs you the same amount to get to showdown but there is a chance he might fold.

There are other important aspects to it including meta-game stuff etc. that I'd probably botch if I tried to explain my flawed understanding of it but I hope this rough overview helps and good luck if you try to search it up in the archives.

[wheelz]

Clarkmeister Thread (http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Number=489582&amp;page=&amp;view=&amp;sb=5&amp;o =&amp;fpart=1&amp;vc=1)

Rubeskies pretty much just covered it though...

[Lmn55d]

Rube, thanks for the description of the theory and thanks wheelz for the link. I just have a couple questions. What sorts of opponents would you not bet against? I would think that if you're playing a very aggressive opponent who will often bet a worse hand on the river and could possibly bluffraise, then you should probably check/call. Would you agree? How about a tight/passive opponent who you don't think would call with a worse hand, but who might check through with a weak flush?

Also, does this refer just to top pair hands or any pair?

[wheelz]

Pretty much any hand that you'd value bet if there wasn't 4 to the flush I think. And you're right, against aggressive players it's not a good idea, you could get bluff raised/they might fold worse hands that they would've bluffed if you checked to them. And weak/tights also are useless to bet against, because they won't call without a flush so you gain nothing, and they won't bet without one either so you can check and maybe save a bet. But you rarely run into that kind of player in the games we play, so you shouldn't be using the check/fold line in this situation often.