Factors for Consideration in Semi-Bluff Defending
 

Wondering about how you decide when to three-bet a possible semi-bluff raise, especially with a marginal hand. On the one hand, just calling down is prudent, and when you have position you never risk a free showdown. On the other hand, we need to push back on regular semi-bluffers lest we give away too much of an advantage. Is the correct frequency for this mostly feel for you all depending on (1) how likely the bet is a semi-bluff, (2) how strong your hand is; (3) opponents likely range; and (4) board texture? What other factors am I missing / ignoring?

As an example hand -- Villain here is 43/13/1.2 (with a spike in turn aggression). He seems to like to raise the turn with both made hands and the occasional semi-bluff / bluff. He often "waits till the turn" with a big hand. He's had some success taking down pots via turn raises.

His pre-flop limping range is ???. I've seen him limp AQs and raise A9o from UTG; I've seen him CC KK on button from a CO raise; I've seen him limp QQ and not LRR when given the chance; I suspect he limps most aces, and he likes suitedness. Limping small suited connectors definitely possible, as are most pairs.

Party Poker 10/20 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG calls.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets . . . </font>

So, in reviewing this hand I'm not sure I have a good grasp of why this makes sense here or why it doesn't. What should I be focusing on when responding to a possible semi-bluff?

Re: Factors for Consideration in Semi-Bluff Defending
 

I really haven't been faced with this problem a whole lot at 5/10 SH, but when I do I find myself combatting it by 3-betting the turn raise (and folding to a cap) with anything I plan on seeing a showdown with and taking the free showdown.

Here's a blind defense hand I played against a frequent semi-bluffer. On the things you say you should consider:

1) Its a draw heavy board so a semibluff is more likely
2) My hand is kind of crappy on the turn but I want to see a showdown HU in a blind steal situation
3) Opponents range here is huge but there are also a huge range of hands that have 9+ outs against me here.
4) See #1


I doubt he could have the hand he's representing. Villian in this hand is similar to the one you describe in yours but his VPIP is a bit lower. There's still a big spike in his turn aggression however.

Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, SB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, SB calls.

River: (10 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 10 BB

I thought Villian's most likely holding was a hand like J7-A7, a picked up heart draw, or a club draw. If I'm wrong I still might be saved by a 7 or 5. Worse case scenario for me he has J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] or something that has a bazillion outs against me. Betting the river isnt worth it because he's never folding 87, 67, 8x of clubs/hearts, or 6x of clubs/hearts here. Maybe I donked up the hand and should have tossed it because the sheer number outs against me and the possibility that I was losing, but since I didn't fold I think I took the next best line.

I think another thing to add to the list of considerations is how many outs you have if your opponent does in fact have the best hand.