Observed hand: Semibluff vs Countersemibluff

[TStoneMBD]

I am not either player in this hand. This is a hand I observed and was interested in what you would think.

Button in this hand is a thinking player, who is a little too loose attempting to be deceptive. He respects MP1, and wants to outplay him.

MP1 in hand is a strong, winning player, who is tricky and semibluffs on the turn a little too frequently. He will follow through on the river if he is semibluffing.

CO is a dead money LAG.

Full table.

Button holds KTo.
MP1 holds KdJd

MP1 raises, CO calls, Button 3bets, blinds fold, 2 calls.

Flop: Td8c6s (3players)

2 checks, Button bets, MP1 calls, CO calls.

Turn: 9d (3players)

2 checks, Button bets, MP1 raises, CO folds, Button 3bets, MP1 calls.

River: 3c (2players)

check check.

[YEM20]

I like the way button played this hand. Pre flop is a 3 bet or fold situation. I would lean towards fold myself. But it's fun to play with solid players, especially with position. Keep em off balance. Wonder what the button would do if MP caps PF and bets out on the flop??

Check through on the end is obvious for the button.

[sam h]

The preflop 3-bet is obviously terrible.

I don't think the turn 3-bet could be considered a countersemibluff.

[bobbyi]

[ QUOTE ]
I like the way button played this hand. Pre flop is a 3 bet or fold situation.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, it's a fold situation. The 3-bet here is horrendous. However, I think the postflop play is fine. Very few people are capable of semibluff four-betting the turn, so I think the button's three-bet/free showdown plan is reasonable.

[TStoneMBD]

isnt 3 betting this turn -EV without considering metagame?

if MP1 connects his draw on the river, lets say putting a 4 straight on board, he will probably lead out instead of going for a checkraise as Button will check down. if MP1 misses his draw, he will follow through on the river. if that is the case, doesnt button lose more when MP1 connects and makes the same when MP1 misses?

[bobbyi]

You're right. I read the post to which I was responding a while after I read your original post and I had forgotten that you had said that MP1 will always fire another barrel on the river if he misses. I'm used to playing against people who don't. Taking that into account, yeah, the three-bet/check down line doesn't gain him anything. My mistake.

On another note, I actually like the way MP1 played this in the general case. Given that he is known for semibluffing too much and is against a good player, this isn't going to work because the turn card puts so many draws out there that he is going to get called down, but if he were against an opponent who didn't know him, I would like this. There's a good argument for just calling the turn to keep CO in there, but with two overs, a double gutter and a flushdraw and a scary turn card hitting and this having the appearance of being a protected pot due to CO, I think that this would be a really nice check-raise against a lot of people. Really, I think he played this hand much better than the button did.