a semi-bluff out of position
 

i almost never do this.

button is 42/5/1.7 after 31 hands.

also, is my preflop call okay?

Party Poker 10/20 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed) pokerhand.org hand converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, MP calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, SB calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (10 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, SB folds, Hero calls, UTG folds, MP calls.

Turn: (6.50 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP folds, Button calls.

River: (10.50 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>.

Final Pot: something BB

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

I do it sometimes, seems to work enough to justify it as long as it's used relatively sparingly and with a decent read.

PF you're getting like 7:1? Seems like a call with 2gapper suited~

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

Preflop call is essential, folding here would be bad IMO. Way too good of odds with that hand.

I like to have some kind of read beyond numbers before I try this, but in this case it's probably right to do it without a read because of the strength of your draw plus the undefinedness of the button's hand. I don't like raising the flop because it creates too many problems, especially if he is the type of player that will three-bet with overcards for a free card.

Your draw is so strong, but the problem I see is that noone at 10/20 is going to really believe you have a T here because of the way you played the flop. I don't think he'll ever fold any pair here, and even getting him to fold AK seems doubtful. But given the size of the pot and the strength of your draw, it doesn't have to fold AK out very often to show a profit.

I also agree with your river follow through.

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

semi bluff raising is fun, gotta bet the river and hope he folds AK or something like that.

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

[ QUOTE ]
semi bluff raising is fun, gotta bet the river and hope he folds AK or something like that.

[/ QUOTE ]

AK isn't the only hand he could have. he's not the PFR... he could be on any draw, or he could just be betting junk because he's the button and nobody has shown any interest in the pot.

there's a lot of hands, K-high or worse, that beat 7 high that he could have.

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

I like it a lot. Preflop call would be correct even with T2s if you only continue with a flush draw, 2pair or better.

On the flop my default play would be to lead out, given your check I would strongly considering check-raising because of the pot-size. If you think there is a much better chance this works on the turn, go for it. I would raise this turn every time.

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

[ QUOTE ]
On the flop my default play would be to lead out

[/ QUOTE ]

Why? Your position relative to the pfr begs for a value checkraise on this flop.

Pete I like it more because the button is quite likely to have nothing he can call with than because you can actually expect him to fold A-high or better.

If MP had folded the flop so you were HU to the turn with the button, do you like a bet, checkraise, or check-call?

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

The preflop call seems pretty marginal to me -- I tend to avoid low suited two-gappers like the plague -- but I like the turn semi-bluff and play it the same. Gotta fire on the river. Good hand.

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

[ QUOTE ]

If MP had folded the flop so you were HU to the turn with the button, do you like a bet, checkraise, or check-call?

[/ QUOTE ]

i think in that case it would be close between betting and checkraising. if he's taking the same hands to showdown regardless of whether i bet or checkraise, it depends on how often i expect to win the hand. my draw comes in about 1/3 of the time, so if i can expect him to fold the turn or river more than 1/3 of the time when i miss (1/3 + 1/3*2/3 = 1/2) i can checkraise for value. he probably doesn't fold 1/3 of the time though, so in that case betting would be better.

of course, that's a simplified analysis... it doesn't take into account the times he checks behind and calls the river with ace high when he would have folded to a turn bet, or times he'd call down the gaybet with ace high but fold to a checkraise.

anyway... that's far from a complete analysis, but i think a case can be made for both betting out and checkraising.

i think check-calling sucks though. this is too good of an opportunity to semi-bluff.

Re: a semi-bluff out of position
 

preflop is easy. The turn cr screams I'm on a draw. Why would you blast away the field if you had a T? I would call a TAG down here with K high quite a lot. That said, I'm not sure based on the read whether this is a profitable semibluff.

I prefer to pick my spots to semibluff when there is a large % of time my opponent will fold rather that having a large # of outs if he calls.

Krishan