Are you guys in autobet mode if you raise pre flop?

[chipolino]

While battling to improve my aggression(I'm weak tight [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] ) I find myself betting too much into flops that I shouldn't have just because I raised pre-flop. Here's an example:

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (8 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. MP1 posts a blind of $0.5.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 (poster) checks, MP2 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB completes, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, SB calls.

Flop: (8 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, SB calls.

So I decided to hit SSHE once again. In the section "Playing Overcards" p.221 Ed Miller gives very good guidelines for how to approach this situation. I'm not gonna go into the details here. But I'm just gonna give some reasons why I should not have bet the flop in the example given by following his guidelines.

Even though the pot is somewhat big, a)our hand has no backdoor draws, b) the flop gives straight and flush possibities(two of our overcards put three to a flush), c) we're facing 3 opponents, d) we're out of position. We're drawing very slim. So, how likely is a bet here to win the pot immediatelly? Probably none. Will it improve our winning chances later on? Probably not.

So, should I bet this pot? No. Should I call a bet? No. Does this make weak tight by not following on my pre-flop aggression? I'll let you guys decide this one.

My main questions regarding all this are: how many of you guys just autobet the flop just because you raised pre-flop regardless of the flop? How many of you go thru all this thinking process?

I'm just currious to hear your thoughts.

[Isura]

No, I wouldn't bet this flop either. I'd call to see the turn depending on where the bet came from, how many folded before it got to me. If it was bet, fold, fold, I'd definitely call the flop for example.

[MrWookie47]

I'd probably bet it, but playing a lot of 6max lately is turning me into a LAG. Betting probably isn't best, but I don't think it's that bad here. With two callers, I'd give up on the turn UI, however.

[@bsolute_luck]

i'm trying to kick my autobet habit, but i don't know why betting this would be bad. no reason to think you're behind, but i think the turn is where things get interesting especially if it is a blank and you're checked to.

[dozer]

I used to autobet flops when I raise preflop, I don't do it anymore. Now it depends on how many players there are, how ragged the board is, what position I'm in,pot size, How likely I am to win with a bet, How likely my hand is the best..etc. (I actually go through all this before I decide what to do)

I still bet the flops when I miss when it's wrong to though, I think playing overcards correctly is one of the hardest things to learn, and takes some time to perfect.

[Bodhi]

And it also depends a lot on who you are up against.

If I'm at a tight table, e.g. Poker Room or Absolute, then this flop probably missed my opponents too and I can't give them a free card. If you're playing at party or another fish pond, then betting here would be a mistake because your opponents could have anything. Try to see the turn for one bet, and then you will likely have to fold UI.

[dozer]

[ QUOTE ]
Should I call a bet? No.

[/ QUOTE ]
getting 8:1 you should at least see the turn with 2 overcards.

[krimson]

I don't think betting this flop is necessarily correct. By raising pre-flop your giving the image of having two big cards, and when you bet at a flop like this, even weak/passive players will know your (probably) bluffing and call you down with something like pocket 5's.

I think the auto-bet strategy plays better when the flop comes with a TJQKA. Your preflop raise allows you to claim any of those cards and will have a better success rate of folding out your opponents.

With the flop you gave your best bet is to have the hand checked through and either hit your AK or try to bluff at a J or Q.

[atnels]

In addition to the board as you discuss, the two main factors that determine if I'll bet here are my reads and position. If I'm up against a few tight/passives with position (unlike your example), I'm betting this 100% of the time. Even OOP against T/P I still bet this.

OOP and against trickier/better opponents, I'm checking half the time and betting the other half.

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
Even though the pot is somewhat big, a)our hand has no backdoor draws, b) the flop gives straight and flush possibities(two of our overcards put three to a flush), c) we're facing 3 opponents, d) we're out of position. We're drawing very slim. So, how likely is a bet here to win the pot immediatelly? Probably none. Will it improve our winning chances later on? Probably not.

[/ QUOTE ]

How likely will you win the pot immediately? There's a chance (not huge). You've got a post-call in the middle with probably a fairly weak hand. You've got a player who limped after the poster who might have as little as J9. There's a decent chance you're in the lead here because the flop came low. This means that a bet here may give you more safe cards on the turn and river (if you knock out QJ, for example). Also, you raised from the big blind, and those raises tend to demand more respect. Leading here might be enough to knock out weak hands that you're chasing (not as likely, but folding out 22 or Q4 would be nice).

[ QUOTE ]
So, should I bet this pot? No. Should I call a bet? No. Does this make weak tight by not following on my pre-flop aggression? I'll let you guys decide this one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why shouldn't you call a bet? You'll be getting something like 10:1 to see the turn.

[ QUOTE ]
My main questions regarding all this are: how many of you guys just autobet the flop just because you raised pre-flop regardless of the flop? How many of you go thru all this thinking process?

[/ QUOTE ]

I tend to autobet more if I raise from the blinds. Most players recognize that raises from the blinds tend to be stronger hands, so they are more willing (at least in the weak-tight Paradise $1-2 games) to let go of their hands when big cards fall. So I often lead with TT if I raised it from the blinds regardless of what falls (but I'm also ready to bet-fold it).