open completing in the SB

[Rev. Good Will]

is it usually wrong to open-complete the SB?

[MrWookie47]

I used to think no, but I changed my mind. You're also getting even odds on a steal attempt, but some people won't fold their BB preflop often enough in this situation. Instead, you can complete and lead any flop, where they're much more open to folding. It costs the same, and it may work better against some opponents.

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
you can complete and lead any flop, where they're much more open to folding.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do this sometimes too, but I usually like to raise against loose preflop opponents who play fit or fold on the flop. Get an extra bet while I still can. It all depends who is in the blind.

[Henke]

If BB would always call your pf raise, but fold 50% on the flop, you're risking 2.5 to win 2.5 if you raise, and you risk 1.5 to win 1.5 if you don't but always bet the flop.

For completing to be more +EV than raising, your opponent would need to adjust and call more on the flop, which often isn't the case.

[MrWookie47]

The most common mistake people make playing poker is calling too much with marginal or poor hands, and our default play should be to exploit that tendancy, not play into it. Bloating the pot with a crap hand plays into this tendancy rather than exploiting it.

[Henke]

HU this is a loosing attitude except against the loosest most predictable callingstations. The odds against you hitting the flop is about 2:1, if you check behind pf, you'll have to fold everytime SB bets, so it better be a predictable opponent!

Raising pf when HU is hardly bloating the pot. He will get 5:1 on the flop, which means he's wrong to call you with all draws but OESDs or stronger... OTOH you're getting 4:1 on your flop bluff, or 3:2 if you count pf.

But of course, if you know he's going to call, then the bets better be for value.

[IIAce]

Excuse my ignorance, but would anyone explain what open completing from the SB means?

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
Excuse my ignorance, but would anyone explain what open completing from the SB means?

[/ QUOTE ]

Folded to you in the small blind, you just call the BB.

[IIAce]

Regardless of what cards you're holding?

[imported_The Vibesman]

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Regardless of what cards you're holding?

[/ QUOTE ]

The phrase "open-complete" simply refers to the betting action, the cards have nothing to do with it. I would say it's usually wrong to open-complete with 88, not so easy to say w/ 86s.