the line between inducing bluffs / weak bets and protecting your hand

[wiggs73]

Two hands in particular, but the general theory behind them applies to a lot of hands I play. In general, I would deem myself as TAG. I say that just to point out that check-calling is not the typical line I take on many hands.

That being said, during any hand, I try to put my opponent on a range. If I think I have the opponent drawing slim and the that they will bet if I check, but fold if I bet, I will often check call to feign weakness. Lately though, this has been backfiring on me and it has me wondering when should I stop check-calling for value and instead bet out (or raise) to protect my hand.

Here are the 2 hands from tonight...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (9 handed) internettexasholdem.com

MP1 (t3510)
MP2 (t1285)
MP3 (t9465)
CO (t8065)
Button (t3885)
SB (t1795)
Hero (t1940)
UTG (t660)
UTG+1 (t5890)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, CO calls t100, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero checks.

Flop: (t250) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets t100</font>, Hero calls t100.

Turn: (t450) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets t200</font>, Hero calls t200.

River: (t850) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: t850



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PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (9 handed) internettexasholdem.com

CO (t4074)
Hero (t5222)
SB (t10135)
BB (t28358)
UTG (t7189)
UTG+1 (t10311)
MP1 (t17393)
MP2 (t6371)
MP3 (t5505)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls t600, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1800</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+1 calls t1200.

Flop: (t4000) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t600</font>, Hero calls t600.

Turn: (t5200) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t600</font>, Hero calls t600.

River: (t6400) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t2400</font>, Hero calls t2172 (All-In).

Final Pot: t10972



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A couple of other notes...

1. In the first hand, I will often raise AK from a blind with one limper. I felt that in this hand, I didn't have quite enough chips to do so and play the flop optimally.

2. In both the hands, I think I may should have raised the turn because there are so many river scare cards for my hand. If this is the case, please say so... but this is a thought I had just reading over and posting the hands.