I thought this might be interesting (from a past 2+2 table)

SteveL91 · #1 06-30-2005, 03:04 AM

I was browsing through the Mid-High Stakes forum today and came across a post about occasionally giving a free card on the turn when HU. Reading that post reminded me of this hand that happened a month or so back at a SH 2+2 table.

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
4 folds, SB raises, Hero 3-bets, SB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB calls.

Turn: (5 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: (5 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB folds.

Final Pot: 6 BB

Results in white below: 
Hero has 5d Ac (three of a kind, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins 6 BB. 

I'm not advocating anyone to start playing their hands this way, but I do think the idea is worth keeping in the back of your heads: Sometimes, checking is more powerful (interchange with deceptive, I think) than betting.

Basically, the thought process pre-flop was that I likely had the best hand. The villain had been stealing very lightly and at any opportunity. On the flop, he's not going to expect me to raise with an A. What I put him on isn't nearly as important (because it's literally any two cards in the deck) as my perception of what he thought I had, and that's what I was trying to manipulate.

I figured it was most likely he'd figure me for a weak T or PP; maybe something like KQ or whatever. The turn check behind was to "confirm" his suspicion. I really wasn't at all afraid of giving a free card, and I was pretty confident he'd check and fold if I bet; however, I thought there was a reasonable chance he'd bluff the river as he had been playing fairly aggressively (and if we weren't showing hands, he may very well have).

It didn't work out that way, but I thought it to be the best way to maximize the hand.

There really are plenty of other ways to play this hand, and I don't think any one is better than another; I think the main point is to be cognizant of things like how you've played hands in the past and change things up every now and then. I think it's more of an issue in SH pots/tables and with players who are thinking, but I try and do it at any table I'm at if I see the opportunity. If nothing else, I like the variation and practice for tougher games.

AdamL · #2 06-30-2005, 03:13 AM

Useful, thanks for it. This particularly exploits many players tendancy to call a raise on the flop no matter what they hold (if not 3-betting), and fold to a turn bet.

Ideally, the fellow bets the river with something like 99, you raise, and again the tendancy to call raises sends 1 extra BB your way.

Works well with free-card plays as well, as the inverse use of a flop raise and turn check-through.

kapw7 · #3 06-30-2005, 03:24 AM

If you want to be deceptive don't raise the flop.

Entity · #4 06-30-2005, 03:35 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to be deceptive don't raise the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm often more deceptive by raising the flop, because what kind of retard would raise an Ace on that flop after 3-betting preflop?

SteveL91 · #5 06-30-2005, 03:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]

I'm often more deceptive by raising the flop, because what kind of retard would raise an Ace on that flop after 3-betting preflop?

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean other than me? [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Adam,

I'm glad you got something out of it. I've gotten a lot of these forums, and I thought I might be able to give a little back with this. Again, I don't necessarily think it's the template for playing the hand, but I think variations can make your play harder to discern.

While there's nothing inherently wrong with calling the flop, I just don't think you can take the same line every hand.