Use of auto-buttons (comment)

[Cerril]

So I've read most of the 'do you use the buttons when multitabling/etc.' threads and pretty much the answer comes out to involve whether or not it helps reads, or to save time when it doesn't change things. I'm going to give a couple situations I've found that it helps or where it hurts.

1) Bet 1 increment - This is the 'bet if checked to' button with no action against a raise attached. I use this often when I intend to bluff or steal on a late street. The chance that it'll get mistaken for me using the 'bet/raise' button seems to induce a few more folds. I'll also use this button after nearly any stealraise. If I'm checked to, I'm betting. It seems to help most when an ace flops, gives the appearance of a bet/raise.

2) Bet/raise - I use this in any situation where my hand is irrelevant, the bet or raise is automatic. So obvious steal situations whether or not I'm helped by the scare card, such as if I've come in with a pocket pair and there's one non-ace overcard.

3) Fold - obviously I'll only use this after a bet with someone slow to act.

4) Check (no fold) - I tend to use this as my default in the big blind. I don't like to give the appearance that I'll automatically fold any hand. I'll also use this in situations where I'll either fold or raise the next card and don't care about going to a showdown (pretty much on failed steals that have evolved into small percentage draws, or other draws where I'm pretty sure I'm both behind and up against someone committed to a showdown).

5) Check/call - I use this one pretty liberally. Some situations I want to induce a bet on the next card, and some I want to give the impression that I'm going to see a showdown no matter what. Of course the number of times a check and a call are equally good are pretty limited.

6) Call current bet - I use this pretty often along with check/call, but I really need to stop using it to complete the small blind at the start of a hand. Too often I complete with a barely alright hand when it's folded to me and I end up heads up against the BB with no hand. Betting out has lost a lot of force, and checking induces a bet where I'd like to have just raised preflop. Basically it kills the momentum at a bad time and wastes the blind money.

7) Check/fold - default with blind hands I won't play to a raise from any position. Along with check(flat) in the BB, both tend to undermine the strength of the hand in the eyes of an opponent who all too often forgets that a bad hand can be helped by practically anything. I feel it tends to induce bets on the flop. Of course you'll usually be folding but that's what you do with most terrible BBs on boards that miss you in every direction anyway.