AK monotone

[Yeknom58]

The fact that he could easily have a single spade here is an excellent reason to raise.

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
The fact that he could easily have a single spade here is an excellent reason to raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you knew that your opponent was just on a draw here with a singleton spade then I would raise here too. However, given the way that the hand was played I think it is much more likely that Hero is behind to his opponent (whose hand may or may not include a spade) than ahead of a spade draw. Since the only hand that I think would fold to a raise is one that you would hope keeps bluffing at the pot I think a call is far better than a raise.

[Joe Tall]

Heads up is such a player dependant situation.

If I'd held the K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], I'd raise the turn versus an unknown.

I like your play, given your description of your opponent.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[J.R.]

Since the only hand that I think would fold to a raise is one that you would hope keeps bluffing at the pot I think a call is far better than a raise.

Yeah, but the board is scary so 2 pair may not 3-bet. Unless opponent is very aggressive, I think a typical opponent wouldn't 3-bet a hand hero was drawing live against (i.e. a set or flush will 3-bet, but I don't think a spade draw and/or two pair will 3-bet.)

If that's the case, you can raise the turn and check behind, which still costing you 2 big bets but you charge the spade draw 2 bets. The downsides are 1) you lose a bet if you opponent was bluffing and folds the turn when they would have bet the river again had you called the turn, or 2) if opponent was very aggressive and would 3-bet the turn with a hand you are drawing live against. leading you to make a FTOP error, or 3) would bet many rivers after you raise the turn, which prevents you from getting to a showdown for just 2 big bets and creates a tough river decision.

The more inclined your opponent is to semi-bluff the more I like a turn raise, unless your opponent is so aggressive as to 3-bet a hand you wouldn't fold against were this an open-hand problem or your opponent is highly likely to be bluffing and would have follow thru with a river bluff.