Hand: Check-raise re-bluff the flop, then check it down

ScottyZ

This was against one those "bet the minimum (100) as a bluff" players.

Any comments?

PokerStars Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100)
Seat #1 is the button

Seat 1: Bob4455 (1460 in chips)
Seat 3: Grabster (2670 in chips)
Seat 5: ScottyZ (3570 in chips)
Seat 6: sterd (1530 in chips)
Seat 7: Pokerman01 (630 in chips)
Seat 8: cejones (850 in chips)
Seat 9: BigSlick1313 (2790 in chips)
Grabster: posts small blind 50
ScottyZ: posts big blind 100

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ScottyZ [Jc Ah]
sterd: calls 100
Pokerman01: calls 100
cejones: folds
BigSlick1313: folds
Bob4455: folds
Grabster: calls 50
ScottyZ: checks

*** FLOP *** [4h Ks Kc]
Grabster: checks
ScottyZ: checks
sterd: bets 100
Pokerman01: folds
Grabster: folds
ScottyZ: raises 300 to 400
sterd: calls 300

*** TURN *** [4h Ks Kc] [8d]
ScottyZ: checks
sterd: checks

*** RIVER *** [4h Ks Kc 8d] [Kd]
ScottyZ: checks
sterd: checks

ScottyZ

vinsanity

If you put him on a pure bluff, I'm curious as to why you didn't bet on the turn. What would you have done if he bet the minimum again on the turn? sizeable bet? all-in?

ScottyZ

I figured that the turn was one of those situations where he is not going to call me with a worse hand, but (more importantly) I also didn't think he would fold a hand which was better than mine.

When he calls my check-raise for 300 more on the flop, I now can't put him on a bluff with as much confidence. He may call with just a two pair, or 2 high cards, most likely with an Ace in the latter case. So if he really was betting Ace high on the flop, I don't mind letting him chase that thin of a draw. It's also possible that he has a K and is either trapping or has a bad kicker, but I didn't really have the feeeling that he had that big of a hand.

The turn card coming down 8 isn't to scary of a card to me *if* I was winning on the flop, and again, I can only put my opponent on a better hand he would call me with, or a worse hand he would fold. [The 8 is also not scary to my opponent if he is actually ahead.] The important thing was I don't really mind giving a worse hand a free card.

If he bets small on the turn or river I just call. If he moves all-in, I would probably fold it. Depending on the player (but not in this case), I would sometimes even call a big bet here. But the player type I put him on (bet the minimum as a bluff) doesn't tend to make large bluffs. It is true that I get exposed to being bluffed out myself by checking, and against many (better) players, I'd most likely fire again on the turn.

This just goes to show that while it is often correct to bet the turn after you bluff on the flop, this is by no means automatic. You have to realize that the opponent calling your bluff gives you some new information.

ScottyZ

ScottyZ

The showdown if you're curious:

*** SHOW DOWN ***
ScottyZ: shows [Jc Ah] (three of a kind, Kings)
sterd: mucks hand
ScottyZ collected 1200 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1200 | Rake 0
Board [4h Ks Kc 8d Kd]
Seat 1: Bob4455 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Grabster (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: ScottyZ (big blind) showed [Jc Ah] and won (1200) with three of a kind,
Kings
Seat 6: sterd mucked [7s Ac] - three of a kind, Kings
Seat 7: Pokerman01 folded on the Flop
Seat 8: cejones folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: BigSlick1313 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

esool

You obviously had this guy pegged right. I think I may have learned something here.