Remember That Part in HOH II...

[bluewilde]

about "dark tunnel" bets, and not making them? This seems to be a hand where I forgot about the "not" part:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (8 handed) converter

UTG (t940)
UTG+1 (t640)
MP1 (t750)
MP2 (t1695)
Hero (t775)
Button (t525)
SB (t1740)
BB (t935)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls t15, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t120</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, UTG+1 folds, MP2 calls t105.

Flop: (t277.50) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
MP2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t140</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to t700</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1117.50

This was the first hand I played. If I limp, I encourage even more limpers and there's a good chance we end up with a 5 or 6-handed pot. So the raise was meant to thin the field. When the flop is checked to me, I really have no idea as to the relative stregth of my hand. The chance he has an ace makes me want to check, but the chance he's on a draw makes me feel like I need to bet. So I just sort of close my eyes and throw money at the pot. He comes over the top and I have to let it go. This player has been super agressive, so I can see him having holdings as weak as JJ or a flush draw. But the check reraise all-in feels too much like him saying, "look how clever I am, trapping the preflop raiser with my invincible top pair" [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

So I assume I need to just check behind on the flop. My question is, if I don't know where I stand in a hand, should I be inclined to check behind aggressive players and bet into tighter, weaker ones? I feel like the raise might have been a good move against a different opponent, but not Sir Bets-A-Lot. Is a half-pot bet too weak either way? I liked it cause it seemed big enough to take it down if MP2 has nothing, but small enough that I can fold to an aggressive reraise. Bad thinking? Thanks,

Blue

[pokerlaw]

like the self-analysis and agree w a lot of your thoughts. My betting at this pot post-flop is very player dependent. with no read, i bet at it because I feel it takes the hand most of the time. I am not really worried about the draw so much as I think a bet will take down the hand.

here, i fold the hand and keep a close eye on mr. reraiser so i can get him to do it again when i have him beat.

[ilya]

I would raise a little less preflop (maybe to 90-100) and bet a larger % of the pot on the flop. But I think you gotta bet...checking behind makes it clear that you can't beat top pair and really encourages him to bluff you out on the turn.

edit: i missed the "super--agressive" bit...I think this really increases the chance that he's trying for a check-raise...very agressive players at the lower limits tend to be predictable that way. I still think betting is ok but it's not as clear as it would be against an average player.

[rydazzle]

[ QUOTE ]
This player has been super agressive

[/ QUOTE ]

Based on this piece of information, that check on the flop would have sounded warning bells for me. A continuation bet from a super aggressive seems mandatory right there with an ace on the board. However, I see your point: if you just check, he'll bet for sure on the turn and you don't know crap about his hand...if the 3rd diamond drops thats even worse.

So what have I offered? Jack. This is a tough spot, A-x is very likely. Personally, I like you defining your hand, and the fold. Rope-a-dop him later.

[adanthar]

Heads up, no, you shouldn't (usually) check behind here.

The reason you bet is because he folds more than 1/3 of the time, plain and simple.

PS: Raise less PF, bet whatever your standard flop bet is.