5 replies to this topic

[NormanHaupt]

Okay, you bet on a flop with nothing from the button. Say, you've got an OESD and a backdoor flush. They all fold except one, who thinks a moment and calls.Turn is a weak rag which wouldn't raise any alarms. He checks.Do you take a free card? Do you bet and try to push him out? discuss the merits of Free Cards vs pushing people out of a pot. How about this common situation.AK, you bet preflop- you've got momentum. Flop misses, but is rag rag rag, nothing suited. Checked ot you in the last betting position and, of course, you bet your over cards. You pick up a single caller.Next card is a J. He checks to you. Do you take your free card? Do you bet and try ot push him off?Discuss!i've noticed tons of people folding on the turn because of the increased bet amount. At what point do you push them off their hands, or assume you're beaten and take the free card- and the bet on the river that's sure to follow.

[....Ian....]

all contingent on the player, but in general i feeli tend to bet the turn if i have position and the player checks to me (unless i smell a trap). this way you put him to a tough descision and even if he calls that you still got a chance at the river to hit, or bluff.if you take the free card what does that tell him about your hand? i think it sends a message that i am not as strong as you think i am.

[akishore]

of course it varies by player, limit/NL, more specific texture of the flop.but in general, i will fire again at the turn if i sense weakness.the river is more varied... can my ace-high beat a draw (open-ended, flush draw, etc.)? or can i actually make this guy fold on the river for one more bet? i tend to check on the river if i never improved.aseem

[Penguin]

NormanHaupt said:

Okay, you bet on a flop with nothing from the button. Say, you've got an OESD and a backdoor flush. They all fold except one, who thinks a moment and calls.Turn is a weak rag which wouldn't raise any alarms. He checks.Do you take a free card? Do you bet and try to push him out? discuss the merits of Free Cards vs pushing people out of a pot. How about this common situation.AK, you bet preflop- you've got momentum. Flop misses, but is rag rag rag, nothing suited. Checked ot you in the last betting position and, of course, you bet your over cards. You pick up a single caller.Next card is a J. He checks to you. Do you take your free card? Do you bet and try ot push him off?Discuss!i've noticed tons of people folding on the turn because of the increased bet amount. At what point do you push them off their hands, or assume you're beaten and take the free card- and the bet on the river that's sure to follow.

Situation One:Depending on my feel for my opponent, and my own image (I can usually be relied upon for bets, and if people start to notice this, I might take the free card.But basically, default here is BET, and I'd need some solid info to change that. Even if I get check-raised, it's only one more small bet and I've found out a lot about my opponent's hand.Situation Two:There's no "of course" about betting overcards - how many opponents are there in the pot, what do they play like, etc? But let's go with it for now.Again, the default here is BET, and fold to a check-raise, unless the player has impressed me in the past with trickiness / well placed aggression. A J isn't perfect, I'd almost rather I had AJ and the turn was a K, (people give more credit to preflop raisers having A or K) but anyway, the J is scary enough to be worthwhile betting. If you take the free card, you will be bet into, and can not call (A or K - especially K - you can raise, otherwise you're folding.So, you have 6/46 chances (and perhaps only 3/46 if your oppo might have Ax twopair) of winning on the river if you check. Do you think your opponent is going to fold 1/7 times on the turn OR river - since a lot of bad players will give you credit for the J, chase you down, and then bail when they miss their two pair / set.General:Free cards are worthwhile where you won't get enough callers to value bet a draw but there are too many opponents to bluff at. Otherwise, continued aggression is my answer to most problems of this type.

[wrto4556]

Bet in both situations. Heads up is a good time to semi-bluff.

[Vade]

Free cards are okay, but not when you've been the only one showing aggression.The last thing you want is a rebluff on a river because you've shown some weaknessBet and bet agreed