I can relate to what you're saying here, especially the bit about the same guys in a live game. You want a free card when you raise the flop, and when he three bets and you just call it lets him know you are drawing. So, you put in $40 to see a free card, and now you're calling another $20 and he still has the lead, and you're probably going to pay for the river anyways, so why not four bet the flop? I've been able to do that and check behind on the turn more often than not. You save yourself one small bet when it works. I dont advocate capping a flop with an OESD, but when you raise to get a free card and he foils your plans, you might as well re-raise to represent a very strong hand in the hopes that he will check the turn, which they usually do.

I think you make a good play by betting the turn, and if he doesnt hold the A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], you'll probably see a fold enought of the time for it to be profitable, and if not you still have outs. Unfortunately here, he held the A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and played back at you, which really was a great play on his part IMO.

But do you see what i'm saying about 4-betting the flop when you're initial raise doesn't work? YOu're calling the turn bet anyways if you just call the three bet, (20+40=60)
but when you cap and he checks (20+20=40) the turn, you save one small bet, and I think it will confuse the hell out of him when you check behind on an UI turn. And if you make the A-high straight, you'll almost always get two bets out of him.

I'd really like someone to explain to me why this would be unprofitable if it succeeds in getting you a free card, which it usually does......