Free Card Question
 

In SSH, they talk about raising the flop for a free card in certain situations. They also discuss how a good player will read you as weak and bet the river if he assumes you have not made your draw.

My question is, against an aware player making this bluff, is raising a good idea?

What is your fold equity here?

Re: Free Card Question
 

It depends on how much you mix up your play.

Generally, if you try to semi-bluff me I will 3-bet you
if your draw is obvious (or not). If you raise for value
as well as for deception, your fold equity will be higher
as I will not always know where I stand against you.

If you raise in position or c/r a 4-flush/oesd oop, yes, I
will generally put you on a draw and try to move you away
if it does not hit. If you never make these plays, I can draw
for free and punish you when I already have a hand or hit
my draw.

You left out the possibility of re-stealing on the river, if you
put your opponent on the thought of your draw missing.
Against thinking opponents, you do not have the luxury of
always using free card plays and semi-bluffing.

Those plays only really work in passive games that actually
contain fold equity.

Merry Christmas!

-ZEN

Re: Free Card Question
 

Its a 'feel' thing.

Sometimes I soft-play my big draws because I'm worried about my FE or about getting re-raised off the hand...
Cold-calling bets in position...check/calling....etc...
Can still be profitable when a guy has a monster that would've re-raised you out on the flop, and you hit the turn.

Sometimes I raise for a free card / to set up a steal later...

One classic position for this would be when you're in position with the OOP PFR CB. Here's a tell to my betting style if you ever play me: I usually min-raise for the free card. Awful maybe...but I've had decent success with it. If they check the turn, and I think he missed the flop with his air or lower PP - sometimes I'll bet and win it there....sometimes I'll take the free card. Its win/win.