Donk weakbets flop when you miss

[FlyingStart]

You raise 4*BB with AK and get one or two callers. You miss the flop and a caller who limped in early position now bets 1/3 of the pot.

What do you do when it's:

a) Headsup
b) 3 way action

Taking an odds perspective this is a pretty easy fold in both cases but I think it looks really studpid in front of the other players at the table and I don't want to be perceived as tight-weak. Is folding in both cases still correct?

The problem is that these bets often has a hand behind them, and I don't think a simple raise will chase them away. Calling also seems stupid

[JustToast]

An interesting post... I look forward to what others have to say.

Typically, I fold or raise fairly randomly in this situation. Can't always fold, and I typically don't call unless I think my opponent will keep betting his middle pair hard if an A or K hit the turn or river.

Edit: didn't read your post closely... I think representing an overpair to a dry board is reasonble by raising particularly against opponents who know how to find the fold button

[amoeba]

depends on the flop.

often this is a draw looking to get to the turn for cheap, maybe fold missed overs from a tight preflop raiser. its either that or something like second pair on the flop.

I often raise here. their actions on subsequent streets will let you know where they are.

note that there is a danger with a hand like AK in these situations as fish at lower limits often call preflop raises with ace little, so if they pair their kicker on the flop, you are drawing to 3 outs not 6.

[gol4pro]

I typically do one of 4 things here:

a) Reraise flop if I have BD flush, and I think he can fold to a raise (usually player dependent).

b) Call flop if I'm confused, and I think there's a decent chance he'll surrender it on turn.

c) Fold here if I have no draw, and I'm pretty sure he can't fold.

d) Call with the intention of raising the turn-- usually player dependent, and usually only works if it looks like I could be slowplaying.

[FlyingStart]

Opponent is medium tight and a little passive. You suspect he might have TP decent kicker or a medium PP that is an overpair to the bord. You don't think he will fold to a raise unless you make it a PSR and then follow up with a big bet on the turn.

The board has a dry texture.

But if the board does contain draws, and he weakbets his draw, you are not going to fold him out with a raise..? If you raise and he calls. What are your plans for the turn and river if he checks?

[xorbie]

It really depends on the opponent.

Very often these bets are feeler bets with 2nd pair, small pocket pair or whatever. I often raise these and I expect to take the pot a good amount of the time.

Dumle

[FlyingStart]

How much do you raise?

3/4 of the pot or more. I want to raise enough so that he'll think twice about calling with his weak hand to see what I'll do on the turn.

Also, I would like to add to my first post that I don't raise as often in 3-way pots as when it is HU (I was specifically refering to HU there). The reasons for this is that he probably has a better hand, since he bets into two people, and I wouldn't like it if the other player in the pot woke up with something nasty.

Another thing to think about is to think twice about raising when the board is heavy with draws. He may very well bet out with a draw and then call with it when you raise.

Dumle

[LaramieJC]

Against a player with pretty decent stats you have to worry that he is betting weak with a set expecting you to be aggressive and raise. This can lead to a sticky situation if he leads into you on the turn when an A or K falls. That being said, against a donk, I try to vary my play between a call representing a slow played overpair if the board is low card rainbow, raise if I have a backdoor draw of somekind, or just fold. As it has been mentioned before, your course of action is player dependent, but if you think he is the type of player who would fold to a raise isn't it reasonable that he is also the type of player who would go for the check raise hoping that you missed with overs and his mp or small pp is good instead of leading out? The pot is small, you could be reverse dominated, if he is bluffing you win little with a raise, and if he has a set you are in a bad situation. This makes me lean towards a fold more often than not.

JC