donkbet heads up with overcards, what's a good line?

[A_C_Slater]

In order to generalize furthur, just assume opponent is an unknown.


Example:

9 handed

You open raise in LMP-LP with A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and it folds to the BB who calls

FLOP: 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]


BB bets.....


I usually call here and fold the turn if BB continues to bet, if he checks the turn I'll bet.

I have seen a few examples where people are calling this to the river with UI overs in small heads up pots versus unknowns. Is this routine?


I used to raise the flop in these spots, then BB would call and stop n go the turn every friggin time..... [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[Drizztdj]

Had something similar happen to me at Noble yesterday. I check-raised with overs (AK) after a pre-flop raise by me. Bet the blank turn and got raised had to fold.

Not sure when/if this should be played more passively and hope for a free showdown?

[fizzleboink]

I'd fold because you'd have to give yourself the full 6 outs to make this a barely profitable play with implied odds.

Reads may change things however.

[Bodhi]

With a such a ragged flop, it's really unlikely the villain is semi-bluffing. Either he has a pp, a 9, a 5, or he's totally bluffing. The latter is not likely enough relative to your pot-odds, so this is close between folding and calling a bet to see if you improve on the turn. Every so often the villain will chicken out and give you a free card, too.

[A_C_Slater]

If the villian does have a nine or a strong piece then wouldn't he check/raise? It just seems like they're thinking, "I'll bet here with my QT and get him to fold his AK, because I'm tricky smart."

[Bodhi]

Perhaps, but there's nothing law-like about donk bets and what they mean. If he does have a 9, his kicker probably sucks and he wants you to fold right away.

[soweak.]

your actions on this flop need to correlate well with your read of the player. Aggressive players I will raise and bet the turn regardless of the card. loose/passives I will call down until unprofitable to do so. tight passives I will raise/free card often, Rocks I will usually just fold.

I also will tend to mix up what I normally do just to try to stay unpredictable.

[Dave5511]

I'm seeing this more and more often. You open-raise, a blind or two calls and then bets out at a ragged flop. In fact, about every time this situation comes up, I've been seeing the blind bet out lately.

I do NOT think he's thinking "I'm tricky smart, I can get him to fold AK to my Q high" I think he's thinking "I've got a pair of fives and there's nothing on that board above a 9, so the raise missed the flop"

I'm tempted to call the flop bet, fold the turn if I don't improve. Why? Because when I get a big PP he'll bet into me and I can raise him on the turn. When I LP open-raise an A9s, I can raise him on the turn. When I raise w/99, I can raise him on the turn.

Let him have the tiny pots, set him up for when you really have the goods.

[A_C_Slater]

The thing is, almost everyone knows a preflop raiser will bet just about any flop when heads up with position vs a lone blind. Even donks know this, and like you said, I see this play more and more each day.

I'm starting to get paranoid that aren't hitting anything at all. But I'm not willing to call down with ace high in a teeny tiny pot even though I'm starting to get the feeling my hand is best (against unknowns.)

[Bodhi]

If you want to stop these possible bluffs, use the call-call-raise line with an overpair next time they donkbet.