Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

I hate asking a question this super stupid, but I couldn't find the answer with the search function.

I see WA/WB line referenced a lot but have never seen a "definition" of it. I mean, I know it stands for Way Ahead/Way Behind, but don't know the definition of the moves in the line itself.

Question 1:
So what exactly is the WA/WB line?

Question 2:
When exactly do you use it?

While searching for the answer I read that you use it when there are the same number of hands that beat you as you beat in the range of hands on which you put villian. Is that the only time, or can you use other times (such as when you think you are dominated) also?

I thank you in advance for putting up with this thread.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

Search function...

Usually a HU situation where either you or your opponent has 3 or fewer outs and there's roughly an equal chance of being ahead or behind. Play is designed to lose the least when behind and win the most when ahead.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

I'm doing some work now but I will give you the example that has become standard here.

Shillx has a really good post in a thread from awhile back, I will try and look later but it was just recently bumped.

Anyway, here:

You open AJo UTG, MP 3-bets and it's heads-up.

Flop comes A95r. You check, he bets, you call.

Turn 7. You check, he bets, you call.

River 2. You bet.

Given the likely 3-betting hands that you are up against here (depending on opponent), this can serve to be a good line since he either has a big pair that you do not want him to fold, or he has an ace that is typically bigger than yours (and you do not want to go to war with him in this case).

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

If you are out of position and heads up, WA/WB is:
check/call
check/call
bet

When you are WB, you lose the least. When you are WA, you win the most because you don't indicate to your opponent that you have a hand that he should fold to. It's good for hands like Ax with an ace on the board where you think you may be dominated. If you are winning, you are in great shape. If you are losing, you are likely drawing to 3 outs.

It should be used on a relatively drawless flop, because you risk giving free cards.

If you are WA of 32 hands and WB 3 or vice versa, obviously you don't want to use this.

Hope this helps. Someone else may do a better job explaining this.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

That's helpful, thanks a lot guys.

I should have probably posted that over in the "beginners" forum.

I appreciate your time.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

This is WA/WB for example.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 max, 10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, Hero calls.

Flop: (7.50 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (6.75 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

Results:
Hero has Ac Tc (one pair, aces).
MP2 has Kh Ks (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 8.75 BB.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

I don't understand the final river bet, though. I understand the theory behind it, it's just that the players I'm used to don't play the way the theory says they will.

If they're behind, they won't know or care, and having bet the flop and turn, they'll bet the river too if I were to check it. If I bet, they'll call, unless they have no pair and were completely bluffing or on a draw that didn't come through. Or they might raise, if the hand they're behind with seems good enough to them.

If they're ahead, they will probably raise my river bet. Or maybe they'll just call.

Since I'm gonna have to put in a bet to see the showdown one way or another, I might as well just check it, and call the bet which they are 90% likely to make after I check.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

On the river, are you folding to a raise?

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

[ QUOTE ]
On the river, are you folding to a raise?

[/ QUOTE ]
no, but even AK would rarely raise here.
That's why this line is so succesful.

Re: Common Knowledge Question: WA/WB line
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm doing some work now but I will give you the example that has become standard here.

Shillx has a really good post in a thread from awhile back, I will try and look later but it was just recently bumped.



[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is the thread: Instances of WA/WB