What to do when checkraised on turn with AK heads up

[dutchgrl]

I am playing on the internet, 3/6 and 5/10, multitabling, doing well, but having a problem with this. The games seem to get more and more aggressive, with people making moves on a regular basis. When I raise, let's say any position for this purpose, with AK, the BB very often calls. The board will look non threatening (assuming I do not hit my hand), and they will checkraise the turn 95% of the time. This almost makes me want to check behind on the turn and call the river regardless, but am afraid they will catch a pair by giving a free card. Even loose passive players are picking up this move, and I have a hard time deciding what to do. Most of the time with a non threatening board I like to go to a showdown with this hand.

Any suggestions on how to play this? Bet the turn, call down if raised? Check behind and call the river? Fold? Any suggestions appreciated!

[Bob T.]

The pot is small, so you can fold a fair amount of the time, and you probably haven't given up much.

Notice, do these players fold to a flop bet if they miss, or do they always call.

Do everything.

Bet some of the time, and check some of the time.

Fold to the passive players.

If someone has checkraised you before, check behind and call the river.


This almost makes me want to check behind on the turn and call the river regardless, but am afraid they will catch a pair by giving a free card.

Maybe you will be the one catching the pair if they gave you a free card. Additionally, you are only giving them 6 free outs, but you guarantee that you will get to a showdown, and you will pick off a fair number of bluffs with this line.

[flair1239]

[ QUOTE ]
I am playing on the internet, 3/6 and 5/10, multitabling, doing well, but having a problem with this. The games seem to get more and more aggressive, with people making moves on a regular basis. When I raise, let's say any position for this purpose, with AK, the BB very often calls. The board will look non threatening (assuming I do not hit my hand), and they will checkraise the turn 95% of the time. This almost makes me want to check behind on the turn and call the river regardless, but am afraid they will catch a pair by giving a free card. Even loose passive players are picking up this move, and I have a hard time deciding what to do. Most of the time with a non threatening board I like to go to a showdown with this hand.

Any suggestions on how to play this? Bet the turn, call down if raised? Check behind and call the river? Fold? Any suggestions appreciated!

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not 95% of the time it just seems that way when the flop is constantly missing you. Unfortunately there is no standard procedure. But here are some factors to consider.

1. The relative aggressiveness of your opponent.
2. Did the turn just create a possible draw?
3. The looseness of your opponent, the more lose they are PF, the more likely it is that they may have hit a ragged board.
4. Your likely number of outs against his probable range of hands.

One thing I have tried, when I feel somebody is constantly pushing me, is 3-betting the raise. Sometimes they will fold, and many times they will check the river and you can take a showdown.

One thing to keep in mind, is that you don't want to get in the habit of constantly keeping people honest. You have to find a balance.

Whether to raise, call or fold is many times specific to the opponent. I think it is more important to have a logical thought process for these situations rather than a default line.

[flair1239]

[ QUOTE ]

Maybe you will be the one catching the pair if they gave you a free card. Additionally, you are only giving them 6 free outs, but you guarantee that you will get to a showdown, and you will pick off a fair number of bluffs with this line.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bob,

Can you describe a situation where you are likely to do this?

[tipperdog]

What you have described is a player who will call a raise from the BB with virtually any two cards, then call the flop and check-raise the turn with a random hand? That's a rare opponent indeed!

However, if that description is correct, your AK is ahead more often than not and (if not) your overcard outs are usually good. Hence, you should 3-bet to induce a bad fold by two random unpaired cards.

Now, I suspect that when you said your opponent CRs the turn "95% of the time" you might have been exaggerating. But if your statement was accurate, you should assume your hand is good but vulnerable and you should act decisively to protect it.

[dutchgrl]

Actually in the last month or two in these online lower limit games it seems to be the new trend to checkraise the turn regardless what comes up. It is turning into a loose aggressive gamestyle, and I am aware I need to make some serious adjustments. I wonder in general against a random opponent it you will make more money 3betting the turn or just checking behind and calling the river

[flair1239]

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I wonder in general against a random opponent it you will make more money 3betting the turn ....

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably not against a random opponent.

[Bob T.]

Can you describe a situation where you are likely to do this?

Maybe I haven't been running well at the table, maybe the villain has been outflopping me, and might be taking some shots at me because I've been laying down. Headsup, AK is a good hand, but I might not want to put in three bets on the turn and river to see a showdown.

Maybe I've just been pound, pound, pounding, and I feel my opponents have just about reached the BobisfullofBSpoint, and I want to give them a check in an unimproved hand to make them think that all those showdowns they didn't see where made hands.

Maybe I feel like my betting patterns are too predictable, and I want to show them another one.

Maybe my opponent usually folds on the flop, and they didn't this time, so I have a hand where I think I might be drawing.

Its a matter of what feels like it might work best right now, and what mood I think that the table, and my opponent is in right now.

Every hand is a little bit different, because of what went on before, and what adjustments everyone is making to each other. That is what makes the game fun, if you get to the right counteradjustment just as your opponent starts to adjust to you.

[jthegreat]

Playing AK heads up when it misses has to be one of the hardest decisions. I normally just play 1/2 but I see this turn check-raise all the time. I like checking behind on the turn, because giving the free card is as much in your favor as it is in theirs. If you're ahead, you likely won't get much out of them anyway and if you're behind, you lose the minimum this way.

[dutchgrl]

I see myself checking more and more on the turn as well, and am wondering if this is the correct play. Variation is the key it sounds like.