Getting popped on the turn or river...

[DaNoob]

I play in a lot of one table NLHE S&G tourneys, as well as some multis, and have noticed a lot of this happening lately:

3-4 see the flop for minimum or 2xBB. Flop comes, one person (usually late position) bets 50-80% of the pot and gets one caller. Turn hits (no scare card), original bettor bets again, original caller either calls again or pops him for all-in. Original bettor folds.

Now, I've done this myself from time to time, but usually holding the best hand. I've seen this done over and over again recently, quite often by the same person, to the point where I'm pretty sure this is a bluff.

So my question is twofold and quite general (so bear with me):

1 - Is this a good strategy to use? If it depends on table texture, etc, what are signs to indicate that it is a good time?

2 - If someone at your table is using this strategy, what is the best method to defend against it (or take advantage of it)? What hands become "muckable" when you get popped? Is TPTK ever worth risking your whole stack against an all-in bet on turn or river, with little-to-no chance of improving?

I know these questions can all be answered "it depends", but I'm trying to plug what seems to be a newly formed leak in my game. Should I bet more against these players with vulnerable hands? Should I slow-play my strong hands more?

Should I be the aggressor?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[FeliciaLee]

I'm just an amateur, so take my advice as such.

When someone pulls this all-in trick on the turn or the river, I usually have notes on him. What kind of player is he? He is most likely loose and aggressive, taking lots of unecessary risks early in the tourney. He most likely pulls this stunt early on, rather than late, for two reasons: 1) He is not around late in the tourney, having been busted out, 2) He calms down once he has quite a chip lead, and hopes to hold on to his ill-gotten gains.

What makes me decide to pop him back, are a myriad of different things. First off, what position was he in (sometimes it doesn't matter at all, as he plays the same cards, the same way in any position)? I study the board...what kind of hands could beat TPTK? Almost pure garbage? Then he probably has it, lol /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Is he an any-two-suited player (they usually are)? If there is a possibilty of a flush, and he has been simply calling the big bettor all along, then suddenly goes over the top, he could have the flush.

What part of the tourney is it? If it is early on, I am more likely to lay my hand down. The earlier it is, the more I will let this type of bettor steal pots. I can recover, I am not crippled yet. If it is late in the tourney and folding will cripple me, I am more likely to call, and let it be fate. Sometimes they are stealing, and the popper will say something like "NH", "good call," or "you got me."

If he really had some raggedy piece that outdrew my TPTK, I just move on to the next SNG.

One of the greatest things about making a lot of big laydowns early is that they give this kind of player the impression that you are weak and passive. That he can run right over you and you will always lay down the best hand. He cannot get that impression out of his mind. So then what happens when it gets short? You completely "turn" on him.

You have a huge advantage, because you KNOW his style, but suddenly he is left flustered and trailing (I don't mean chip count, btw, I just mean trailing as in, you are the better player and he is trying to "catch up").

I cannot tell you how many tourneys I have won this way. We will get to 3-handed or HU and I am decidedly short, sometimes he has as much as 11:1 over me. With nothing to lose, I come alive. Suddenly the predator turns into the prey and he is left helplessly defending an onslaught of all-in's. He doesn't want to lose his chip lead to the 3rd guy (if there is one), so he lays down hand after hand in utter confusion trying to figure out how his lamb became a lion on the turn of a dime. He has no clue what I have, having only gotten the impression that I am weak and will lay down monsters. He is left stumbling and fumbling around, never knowing when to call all-in, or when to lay his hand down.

I will continually trap him. He makes some big raise BTF, I go over the top all-in. He sits there and lets his timer run down, usually laying down his hand, although it might possibly be the dominant hand.

Finally I wear him down. Sometimes he is swearing at me in the chat. He hates me, he hates what I have done to him. He says I'm not really a woman, that my pic is fake because no woman would really play like THIS.

After he is worn down and stressed out, he finally calls one of my all-in's. He usually is dominated, and even if he isn't, I probably have the chip lead now, and I can survive.

No matter what happens, I keep pummeling him until I either win, or I lose. Either way, he hates me and I have completely "ruined" him.

Yes, they actually type these things to me. I have to LOL every time, I never get upset, I am detached and cold, poker doesn't affect my emotions. I would rather outplay someone, than outdraw them, win or lose.

Hope this helps in some way.