Button steal: Giving up on turn
 

Pretty dumb common situation. $5-$10 or %10-$20 game. You steal from button with 9-10 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] BB calls. (BB can be a wide range of players)

Flop comes Ace (and any two cards that don't pair you). check-bet-call.

Turn-blank.. check-check, right? Maybe, a follow through against the "I peel undercards on the flop" guys, but that's it right?

Re: Button steal: Giving up on turn
 

Generally, when players call an A high flop after a steal raise, they have either a piece of the board, a draw, or are intending to make a play at the pot. You really can't beat any hands except draws (either the rare one which is worse than T9 or by bluffing at the pot). Problem is you have to either put in 2 BB to bluff the pot (unless villain had a weak draw and only planned to peel once) or we have to hope to try a suspicious check turn but bet river line.

Against most opponents, I am checking the turn and definitely folding to a non T or 9. If I hit my 9 or T, I'm usually calling because I can now beat a bluff and lower pairs on the board. I think this call is barely profitable, as I expect to be shown an A more often than not. I might try to bet the river if he checks to me again, but only if I believed he would likely have bet a pair and also is likely to fold a non-pair hand. (And I'd value bet if he checks the river after a 9 or T hits. And I'll be disappointed when he shows that he paired the same card with a J kicker, but then I'll be glad that he call the flop again in similar situations.)

Re: Button steal: Giving up on turn
 

Yeah, If they are weak enough to check the river I'll bet it unpaired. Weird looking or not, if they missed their gutshot or something at least I have some chance to win.