A couple check-raising hands

[Romulus141]

I tried my hand at some 0.50/1.00 today, since I'm close to having a 300BB roll for it, and I had been stuck in a break-even stretch, so I was hoping this would change things up a little.

I encountered some strange player types at this limit at PokerStars that I just did not see at 0.25/0.50. I found players that were tight pre-flop, but very aggro with their raises pre-flop, and then went "fit or fold" post-flop (although they would c-bet too). This put in me situations to use check-raises. Here are two hands that were a result of encounters with this player type. I want to see if I'm making good choices, or if I'm suffering from FPS here.

Hand #1:

Button is 20/17/4.5 after 59 hands. Went to showdown 20%.

Our button is very aggressive pre-flop, and post-flop his AF and W2SD stats suggest that he follows a "fit or fold" mentality. It was probable that his raise here was more likely a steal attempt than a show of true strength. The call with J5o was still loose, and I won't be surprised if most of the responses tell me I should have chosen a better place to fight.

I tried the check-raise on the flop because with the board being what it was, I was pretty sure he had missed. If I wasn't reraised on the flop (which would prompt me to fold), I was going to bet the turn unless an ace fell.

PokerStars 0.50/1.00 Hold'em (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises...</font>

Hand #2:

Button is 29/21/7.33 with about 77 hands. Went to showdown 18%.

Another really aggressive player in this hand. Once again, a poster-boy for the "fit or fold" model, and he would go quite aggro with any made hand. He c-bets a lot too.

I caught a piece of this flop, but it was monotone. Here, I also thought he whiffed the flop. I wasn't so sure about whether or not he had a spade. Was a check-raise appropriate here?

On the turn, I bet out, since this became a Clarkmeister Theorem situation (except it was on the turn instead of river). I intended to fold to a raise. Seem good?

PokerStars 0.50/1.00 Hold'em (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
Hero calls, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, BB folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets...</font>