As always during a downswing... (not a stats post)

[Cerril]

I wanted to make a stats post but I can't bring myself to... I've been trying to read a lot more and trying to find hands to post but I can't seem to come up with ones that appear relevant. In any case I'll try to just ask some seemingly simple questions about overall policy, pre and postflop.

I think I'm pretty close to good ranges, but I need some confirmation (or where necessary contradiction).

Assume either unknowns (first or second rotation, not enough specifics except they appear to be playing too many hands), or 'average' [5/10] opponents of the 'slightly too aggressive, capable of making plays, may call down with very little but may outright fold to aggression in the right place'

--What, if any, situations do you raise preflop and check on the flop? Hands where you've killed the deck, hands where you've missed against a dangerous board and two opponents? The only times I'm able to feel it makes sense to check or check behind on a flop is when the board is terribly threatening, I don't have a piece, and I'm up against a lot of opponents. I feel like I should be slowing down more often, but then I get one where everyone folds and I wonder again.

--Roughly the same question on the turn, but heads up. If you fired on the flop (LP against a blind) and were called, when checked to on the turn how often do you check behind?

--What sort of situations do you consider to be the dividing line between calling and folding when check/raised on the turn as the aggressor to that point? This one's big to me, it seems that I have entire days where every time I miss and continue betting on the turn, I get checkraised and have to release. It happens, I know, but I'd like to figure out when it's right and when it isn't. Provided you haven't been fortunate enough to see your opponent make a play like this without the goods, and maybe you have seen him show down solid hands with this line once, what other tendencies would switch this to a call given fewer than 100 hands observed?

Now just to remind myself, a couple of the areas I need to improve myself but don't know if I need advice:

-value betting the river after being checked to with a scare card; value raising the river during a c/c, c/c, c/c pattern.

-NOT betting when checked to I have a good chance to improve but don't have odds if checkraised (against appropriate opponents)

-Defending with a few more hands, learning how to continue a defense on later streets without having paired.

-Focusing a bit more on playing people, checkraising when appropriate regardless of my hand, if they appear weak.

-Generally trying to tilt less. This wasn't an issue at all at 2/4 and 3/6 (oddly), but I find myself vulnerable to getting in stretches when I call too much or raise drastically too much, and I really need to quit it.

Thanks all for the read, and any advice is appreciated. I'm still happy with my overall results, but I'm seeing more holes now than I realized I had before, which is probably better than not.

[cartman]

My answers are obviously overgeneralizations, but hopefully they will help some. They may also be incorrect.

[ QUOTE ]

Assume either unknowns (first or second rotation, not enough specifics except they appear to be playing too many hands), or 'average' [5/10] opponents of the 'slightly too aggressive, capable of making plays, may call down with very little but may outright fold to aggression in the right place'

[/ QUOTE ]

For what it's worth, I think the "average" 5/10 opponent will outright fold to aggression in the right place if he has approximately 5 high or worse.

[ QUOTE ]

--What, if any, situations do you raise preflop and check on the flop?

[/ QUOTE ]

With one or two opponents I autobet. With 3 opponents or more, I check the flop if I don't have a pair or a decent draw (at bare minimum a gutshot, which I only sometimes bet). One exception would be with a good Ace on a very low or paired board with exactly 3 opponents

[ QUOTE ]

--Roughly the same question on the turn, but heads up. If you fired on the flop (LP against a blind) and were called, when checked to on the turn how often do you check behind?


[/ QUOTE ]

Heads up I think you should almost fire again if you have showdown value if you can easily fold to a raise. I think you should check behind if you have a weak but showdownable hand like Ace high or a a weak pair against a guy who loves to checkraise the turn and is perfectly willing to do it with a draw or as a pure bluff and will almost automatically bet the river if you check. But there are not that many of these guys.

You should also probably check behind if you have no showdown value and very little folding equity. I don't know what kind of board that would require, but I read an example Nikla gave in which the flop was uncoordinated A high rainbow and you have nothing. He said that you should give up as soon as you get called on the flop.

[ QUOTE ]

--What sort of situations do you consider to be the dividing line between calling and folding when check/raised on the turn as the aggressor to that point?

[/ QUOTE ]

Against a typical opponent, if it is a board that he knows you probably have some of, then I would say the line is somewhere in the top pair range. Top pair top kicker you probably can't fold, middle pair you probably can't call.
On a "bluff" board that he thinks you probably missed, you will obviously have to be willing to call down more. This area is HIGHLY opponent dependent as there are some against whom you can easily fold top pair top kicker and some against whom you can never fold any pair.

Cartman