pot manipulation

My present understanding of proper heads up play with say a four flush or open ender is to semi-bluff if in early position (if i think there's any chance my opponent will fold to a bet) and to take the free card if checked to when in late position unless you have a good read that your opponent will fold to a bet. What should i do if i'm on the button or in last position on the turn with the same drawing hands and three or more players check it to me? In many of the postings i read about pot manipulation but am having some problems with the concept. Anybody have any good insights for me? I thought it was better to check it in the latter scenario, but now think i'm wrong.

by my understanding you bet when checked to only if you think you have a good chance of picking up the pot then and there, otherwise take the free card. at least that's the rule I follow and it seems to work for me

I am not saying this is how it should be done, but my own thinking is that if I bet I have a reasonable chance of filling on the turn and I have built a better pot to win after two more betting rounds.


If I don't fill, I may have bought a free bb card for 1sb to give me another chance to fill. If I don't get it free, I will normally have the necessary pot odds by then to call on the turn to try again for the straight or flush.


If I pair on the turn as a "side-effect" I will bet the turn card to either try to win there or to river my straight, flush, or, now, trips or two pairs.

Oops - I missed the fact that you were already looking at the turn card.


My own thinking here would be that I have nothing by that stage and a bet could invite a check-raise. It probably wouldn't chase out three or four other players. So, normally, I would check.


However, I might build in factors relating to what had happened previously in the hand, and even in the entire session, and, what actual cards I held in relation to the centre cards, resulting in making a bet in certain situations.


In other words ...


... it depends.