Anyone else do this?

If I get a good hand such as AK or KQs and raise, I almost always feel I have to keep betting after the flop no matter what it looks like. Just because I raised I feel I need to come out strong resulting in going way too far with nothing. Anyone else do this?

Most people do this, it's called a continuation bet - hopefully to win the pot right away.

However, its sucess is heavily dependant upon your position, your read on oponents (will they fold?) and their read on you (do they know you will do this?).

Remember - you only have a weak drawing hand, don't go too far.

Hope this helps,

G.

[aargh57]

I think that's a common tendency for beginners but you will need to learn to consider a lot of factors such as position, coordination of the board, number of opponents, your own backdoor draws, etc... SSH discusses the play of overcards very well. Just try not to get tied to them come hell or high water.

I'm trying to do the following:

In EP I check, and call if I get bet in to.
In LP, if I'm co, I'll throw in a bet if no one else has.
I'll check the turn if I didn't improve and then fold if/when someone bets.

I should add that if I'm HU I sometimes bet it out pretending to have a pair.

[GrunchCan]

Read this.

[Pov]

[ QUOTE ]
If I get a good hand such as AK or KQs and raise, I almost always feel I have to keep betting after the flop no matter what it looks like. Just because I raised I feel I need to come out strong resulting in going way too far with nothing. Anyone else do this?

[/ QUOTE ]

A continuation bet is frequently appropriate, but you should be considering a lot of factors before doing it. For instance, you have AK UTG and raise. 3 people cold-call and the big blind calls. The flop is a whiff for you but contains some middle cards like J 9 5. I do not advise betting here. You have little chance of holding the best hand. One of the cold callers will likely bet and you can call getting 11 or 12 to 1 to try and catch your A or K. If you don't you may sadly find yourself checking and folding turn, but it's pretty tough to think you're ahead here assuming someone besides yourself called the flop and your outs are likely to be tainted.

When you're heads up a continuation bet (or possibly a check-raise if your opponent will reliably bet when checked to) is more or less mandatory. You have a great chance of holding the best hand right now and you're certainly not folding yet so I prefer continuing my aggression. Against two opponents I probably still bet assuming the board isn't too coordinated or possibly of it is extremely coordinated, but my reads on the players make a big difference. Against 3 opponents it really sucks and is highly dependent upon the opposition and my table image.

Great post, thanks.

[Manque]

You should be able to make a lot of money against player who do this.

[aargh57]

That was a really good post by grunch and I think he shows that you can't use these simple rules that you've made up for overcards. In fact, SSH specifically says that rules like these are oversimplified. If you think of unimproved overcards as another weak draw you will be better off (although big Ace hands do have a chance of winning unimproved especially heads up.) I was going to write down the questions that SSH has you ask yourself when you flop overcards but I don't want to plagerize. (Buy that book when you've finished GSIH, if you haven't already). But it basically says that you have to look at the things that I mentioned in my previous post.

Thanks for the advice guys.
I already understand the whole thing better after re-reading some parts of SSHE and listening to you all [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers!