Villain was pretty disbelieving of me and wasn’t making a lot of what I call “disciplined folds”, meaning that in small- to medium-sized pots he usually called any time his hand was defined as medium-strength rather than trying to figure out my value bet vs. bluffing frequency. I also think he bets most of his Q’s on the flop, so while he could easily have a 6, I wouldn’t be shocked to get looked up by A-high either.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $4 BB (2 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com
Hero ($799.50)
Button ($648.20)
Preflop: Hero is BB with Jc, Jh.
Button raises to $8, Hero raises to $32, Button calls $24.
Flop: ($64) Qh, 6h, 2c (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.
Turn: ($64) 5s (2 players)
Hero bets $47.6, Button calls $47.60.
River: ($159.20) 6s (2 players)
Hero bets $119, Button calls $119.
Final Pot: $397.20
Results in white below:
Hero has Jc Jh (two pair, jacks and sixes).
Button has 7h 7s (two pair, sevens and sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins $397.20.
I’m curious to hear your thinking on the flop. After taking the lead preflop, you checked. I don’t know how to word my question, other than to admit I don’t have a good grasp of the continuation bet dynamics and I’m curious why you checked.
Russ
1.Pot control-you are OOP and you are deep.
2.Button’s check gives you vital information for free-(no Queens)
This is interesting case where your check can give you more information than bet.
The check is the only good choice for me.What is an alternative? -go for broke with Jacks with deep stack?.
The check only gives me more information than betting if V checks behind. If he bets flop, I am more in the dark than I would be had I bet, but in a good way. That is, his range is presumably weaker for betting flop than it is for calling flop.
I wrote your check CAN give you more info.
His check is not only about the Q exclusion.
His check versus bet is often statement- I believe I have “good” showdown equity with this board and I go pot control mode to evaluate situation on later streets.
His flop bet will represents weaker,wider and more polarized range in context HU dynamics.
“That is, his range is presumably weaker for betting flop than it is for calling flop.”
The above statement is not presumption but the pillar of HU.
The net profit in HU comes from grabbing equity and money left on table.
When I play exploitative HU against agro reg in this context(Jacks in hole ,the board) plus button image I often make HUGE presumptions that often his checking range is stronger than his betting one.
Agreed and well said.
Yeah it’s a spot where you don’t really need to bet to protect your hand or to get value (as you can see Andrew was able to get 2 streets of value from a mid pair, he wasn’t getting 3). You aren’t too worried about protection because your opponent will only have 2 outs with a pocket-pair, 3 outs with an A or K, 5 if they have a six, and only more with a flush draw (or AK but w/e). However, against the flush draw you actually don’t want to bet anyway since you are OOP and deep and probably have to fold if they raise you.
Checking keeps the pot small if they have you beat, helps avoid getting bluffed, and as Andy pointed out can give you more information then a bet would if your opponent isn’t very clever.
The only problem is that a smart player might be able to get a read that you have a medium-strength hand like jacks if you don’t balance your range well enough in this spot.
Well said. The bit about not wanting to bet into a flush draw on the flop is especially important. It’s actually going to be difficult to win this pot if I get floated on the flop, by a flush draw or even less, which is all the more reason not to bet it.
As for your concern about turning the hand face-up, you just have to balance your range. You need to have a check-call-down range (which may include JJ, depending on how much you expect him to barrel) and a check-raising range so that he can’t just auto-barrel you whenever you check the flop.
I think checking the flop is pretty much the standard play.
but what if he puts you on mid pocket pairs 88-TT and decides to rep a Q.
I mean what would you do if he bets on the flop and the turn when checked to?
Well played sir. Value town here I come!
How often do you take this line as a bluff?
I rarely, if ever see it.
Against the player I described, rarely to never. Against good players on whom I don’t have a particular exploitable read, occasionally. Against people who like to “read hands” but not balance, somewhat more often.