6-12: Checking behind on the turn.

Rake free 5 handed 6-12 game. UTG folds, cutoff poster (yes, he posted in a 5 handed game) checks, button folds. SB completes. I raise with Ah9s in the BB. Poster folds, SB calls. 2 to the flop with 5sb's in the pot.


SB is a loose and tricky tournament player who is capable of bluffing. I like to vary my play a little with him to keep him from getting a bead on me, since even in full games we frequently end up heads up.


Flop: Ad 4h 4c. He checks, I bet, he calls.


Turn: 7s. He checks, I check.


River: Jd. He bets, I call.


Thoughts on this line? Comments on all streets appreciated. Results in post beneath this one.

He had Ts4s and took it down with his trip 4's.

Clarkmeister,


Been a while since I've replied on forum... been really busy lately. Just like to say I enjoy most of your posts as they are quite interesting.


I haven't peeked yet, but my guess is that SB has something like KJ or 2 pix cards. He didn't raise in front of you which tells me he probably doesn't have an A. 99.9% sure he wouldn't play a hand with a 4.


I think your overall play is just fine. Your turn check probably enables you to get an extra bet that you wouldn't have gotten if you fired again.


Well played, now I'll peek at the results.


Mike

Well now, don't I feel like the fricking idiot.


That's the last thing I would have expected.


Ain't 6-12 fun? /images/smile.gif


Mike

I like the play and I do it myself sometimes. Your situation is:


1) Your hand is strong enough to call down a river bet having checked behind on the turn. The check on the turn will induce bluffs from worse hands on the river.


2) Your hand is NOT strong enough to like a check-raise on the turn at all.


3) Giving a free card seems as 'safe' as giving a free card will ever seem, on a board like this.


4) It's a variation play and might throw off your opponents a little! ;-)


lars

Clarkmeister,


ok, he limped in the small blind against two blind hands, he could have just about anything, maybe hoping to catch some part of the flop. You wrecked his plan by raising preflop. I like the raise here.


Now the flop, Ace high, with a paired board, and no discernable draws, he has to expect you to have an ace or a pair, when he calls the flop bet, I think that at best, you are in a kicker battle here. But it is kind of a suspiscious call from a strong player, what could he have here? It seems likely that he has an Ace, perhaps with a weak kicker, and has decided to call down your potential pair. Is he devious enough to slow play Aces here? Just the fact that he called, ensures that he has some values.


I think checking the turn may guarantee that he will bet into you on the river when you are ahead, and will only cost 1 more bet when he has a four, or slowplayed AA. If he is behind, it is likely that he is only on a two outer, and a free card shouldn't cost you the pot too often, especially since he may call with that hand anyway. So the cost is the potential turn bet you could have won. But if you bet and are called on the turn, will you check the river, so there might not be any cost. In that case this wins the same if you are ahead, and loses less if you are behind.


Good luck,

Bob T.

Yea, I play hands just like you did on boards like this. When he check-calls on a AXX baby-paired flop, with no straight or flush draws, it's gotta get me to wondering what the hell he could have. If he has an ace, there's a fair chance I'll be outkicked, and if he has a 4, then I'm way behind, and I sure don't want to have it cost me 2 extra bets to find out. And those are really the only possible hands that I would consider at this point (against most sane opponents). He could possibly have a middle pair, but if he does, so be it, I'll risk him hitting his 2-outer. Nice play. Speaking of Vegas, I'll be in Vegas for the weekend of 12th-14th this month. I'll probably be playing mostly the 4/8 at the Bellagio and 3/6 (or 6/12 if I have a good run) at the Mirage. I may slum it up at the 2/6 spread at the Excalibur with my friends, but I doubt it. Anyway, I'll be on the lookout for you. You said you wore a hat or something? Anyway I'll be the really young does-he-know-he's-supposed-to-be-21 looking asian guy with really short hair and a goatee, with a very small stack (and possibly a white russian) in front of him. /images/wink.gif

Actually, I almost totally discounted the possibility that he had an ace since he limped preflop. He either had a 4 and would checkraise me on the turn, or he had nothing and would bluff the river if I checked behind.


I'm tall and thin and usually wear a hat with a big orange "I" on it. I don't know how often I'll be in the Mirage this weekend (I spend my weekends with the girlfriend), but ask the brush if "Dave C" is in the room and they should be able to show you the way.


Keep your boy Gummy on the straight and narrow so he can regroup and return triumphantly in May.