How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

2-5 No limit. I have $900. Villain has $500. Villain is loose aggressive and likes to see flops even with marginal hands. I raise from UTG with AQo to $20. It is folded around to Villain in the BB who calls. Flop comes 9 7 4 rainbow. Villain checks. I bet $25. Villain check-raises to $80. I think Villain would make this move with nothing at all or may have something like middle or bottom pair. Should I have checked after he checked? Should I now call and see what happens on the turn? Should I re-raise $100 more and see what he does?

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

No offense, but these seem like pretty elementary questions for someone playing at these stakes. Yes, you should cbet the flop when checked to. No, you shouldn't reraise him. Just fold.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

I do not necessarily disagree with your answer. However, I know your not suggesting that I check every time that I am heads-up and it is checked to me or that I fold everytime I have been check-raised. I am more interested in the thought process to reach the decision.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

You deal with this by folding

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

Insta fold, maybe hollywood it a bit if you wear sunglasses take them off... lol. Uh if he calls with marginal holding, looks like the flop hit him.

The better question is how would you play an overpair with the check raise?

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

why would this be a good flop for a CB if LAG villain is playing cards that are likely to hit this flop more often than not?? especially if he's the kind of LAG that'll min-raise you with air for fun.

I check behind here almost always and see a free Turn.

if you are going to raise his c/r then min-reraising him is about the worst of all worlds - standard line here is just to fold I think and kick yourself for CBetting a LAG with a hand that can't call a raise.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

[ QUOTE ]
I do not necessarily disagree with your answer. However, I know your not suggesting that I check every time that I am heads-up and it is checked to me or that I fold everytime I have been check-raised. I am more interested in the thought process to reach the decision.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not following you have no pair no draw. If he has 22 you are 3:1 against. He read you well, fold, "nh sir" and next time you make a CB on a raggy board against him have a real hand.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

If he makes this move with 2nd, 3rd pair or air, and is playing hands that may have hit this flop, I don't mind checking behind.

Cbetting is a pretty standard play, but the reason it works is because flops usually miss opponents and then they give up when you bet. Based on the description of the opponent this doesn't appear to be that kind of situation.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

I don't see where you guys are getting that the flop probably hit him, other than that we know OP was check-raised. In any case, I'm almost always cbetting here. We take it down most of the time, and the times we get c/r'd with nothing after cbetting are worth the metagame for the times we get c/r'd with something.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

I always bet this dry flop.

After he check-raises than you should fold. You're too deep to call because you're unlikely to make a better hand where he'll have a good 2nd best hand. you should not reraise because a decent raise is obviously only a bluff and it'll be an expensive bluff.

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

What do you all think about checking behind if no face card or ace on flop . . . but Cbet if face card or ace?

Re: How to handle a check-raise on the Flop
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see where you guys are getting that the flop probably hit him, other than that we know OP was check-raised. In any case, I'm almost always cbetting here. We take it down most of the time, and the times we get c/r'd with nothing after cbetting are worth the metagame for the times we get c/r'd with something.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you are saying the CBing here and then getting c/r'ed and having to fold is good for the times we have KK on a raggedy flop - "CB" the flop and get c/r'ed by LAG dude who has nothing.

If we fold often to the c/r (cos often we have nada) then the one time we call his c/r alarm bells will be ringing.

I think it's just better to "CB" flops we might actually have hit vs LAGs. If we check behind here we might spike a pair we can take to SD and win a modest pot with. If that does happen our future CB's will carry a little more weight if villain sees us SD a hand we didn't CB - and that gives us good shania as well (Assuming villain is paying some kind of attention)

It keeps the pot smaller for later streets so that if we do hit the pots not out of control and also if LAG villain bets a blank turn and our read is he's FOS we can c/r him on the turn for the same price as calling the flop c/r with much higher FE than a flop CB. IME LAGs (well bad LAGs at least) don't call c/r without a reasonable hand, whereas they routinely raise suspicious flop bets with air for fun and often bet the turn with that same air they were planning on c/ring the flop with.

auto CBing the flop cos "it's very likely missed villains hand" is bad if that villain has a tendancy to raise often and we don't have a hand that can call a raise I think. In these spots (LAG villain TAG Hero ragged ranbow flop) I don't think a CB takes it down that often at all - probably less than 1/3rd of the time - especially if we are just over half potting it - a half pot flop bet to a LAG is like waving baby back ribs in front of a fat bloke - often we are going to get our hand bitten off.

In the OP hand we have a 6 out draw - if villain is playing cards that might well have hit that flop, and is LAGgy then we are dam well going to be facing a turn lead if we call the flop raise which will be very expensive if we miss the turn.

Isn't it better to not CB here and then make a play on the turn when we are one street away from seeing the whole board and having much more of a clue as to whether or not our hand might be good?

If the flop was J74r then I'm CBetting cos it's much more likely that we have hit if we are playing TAGgy and are very likely playing overcards here.

maybe I am way off...