Free Card? Take it ?

Here is a situation that comes up quite frequently. Say you have big suited card or a suited ace in late position. The flop comes such that you have one or two overcards, and a four flush.


Someone early bets, you raise, and now the turn comes and you don't make a pair, nor do you hit your flush. Everyone checks to you. Should you continue to semi-bluff here?


I find that if I don't bet, then when a brick hits on the river, someone will start firing, and if the flush card hits, many people will check fold.


However, if I bet, then if the brick hits, I almost have to bet the river if I want any shot at taking the pot, which means that I invest 2BB to win the pot, whereas before I could get away with just the 2SB and folding the river. That is to say, the pot is not big enough that I'm mathematically obligated to try and buy it.


The other question is what if I make second pair on the turn, but I'm almost certain that someone had called my flop raise with top pair? Again, if I bet the turn, they may put me on an overpair and possibly fold, but if I check, then I have basically said that their top fair is good.


I realize that I should vary my play for deception, but I am just wondering if the general principle is wrong. My usual play is to bet the whole way.

Someone early bets, you raise, and now the turn comes and you don't make a pair, nor do you hit your flush. Everyone checks to you. Should you continue to semi-bluff here?


Depends on your opponents. If they put you on a draw you might walk into a checkraise. However, against weaker oponents if you bet you might win the pot right there.


The other question is what if I make second pair on the turn, but I'm almost certain that someone had called my flop raise with top pair? Again it depends on the opponents. If you have second pair and someone holds top pair, I doubt you will get them to fold in a lower limit game.


I realize that I should vary my play for deception, but I am just wondering if the general principle is wrong. My usual play is to bet the whole way.


Betting the entire way against certain opponents (calling stations) can prove quite costly. On the end sometimes its best to check and save a bet, if your bet won't make a better hand fold.


MK

Obviously it depends on your opponents. There, now w/that disclaimer out of the way I can give my "general" ideas.


Say you have AsKs and the flop has 2 spades in it. Turn is a blank. To bet or not to bet after it's checked to you?


I would bet if there's 1 or 2 opponents assuming they aren't calling stations who'll call you down on the river w/bottom pair. This is a good time to semi-bluff as a you seem to have a decent chance of picking up the pot or eliminating one opponent thus, making a bluff on the river much more doable against one opponent rather than 2. However, if I'm against one aggressive opponent, I'll usually check the turn (saving myself from a check-raise) and also possibly inducing a bluff which my AK may be able to pick off.


Against 3 or 4 opponents is when I normaly check, as a semi-bluff is almost definately not going to pick up the pot, and probably won't even narrow it down enough for a profitable river bluffing situation.


If I think I'm going to get called by 4 or more opponents, I like betting again as I'm now getting the odds required to hit my draw (it's actualy 4.1:1 against to hit the flush, 2.03:1 against to hit the flush OR an A or K, but w/this many opponents, an A or a K may not be good enough to win on the end.)


I hope this helps.


Once a jek, always a jek

"I find that if I don't bet, then when a brick hits on the river, someone will start firing, and if the flush card hits, many people will check fold."


This is why you should also play straight draws the same way if there are two to a suit on board. Now when that flush card comes on the river, you might have a good bluffing spot.


MM