An A high calldown
 

I open on the button with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Only the BB calls. He's 35/5 ish PF... no definite read on him postflop but seems like he might be a bit erratic. That could just be a small sample size effect, combined with my suspicious/paranoid mind.

Flop is J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
He bets, I call.

Turn is 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
He bets, I call.

River is J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
He bets, I call.

To me the close decision comes on the turn. How did I do?

Re: An A high calldown
 

His donk probably means a made hand.

Re: An A high calldown
 

[ QUOTE ]
His donk probably means a made hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

what makes you think that? Honest question. I have lots of trouble interpreting these donkbets.

Surf

Re: An A high calldown
 

Just the board, his range, and 35/5's usually don't 3-bet AJ etc. It could be a fd, but we have to pay a lot to see a showdown. If I played with the guy I could give a pretty close approximation of his donking range, I've been doing a lot of note taking and I'm starting to get a feel as to why players donk here.

Eg, a donk on a 458 board is often a draw. This board, he's more inclined to check-call because he can trap your pfr presumably made hand later. He donks 458 because he thinks he can fold you too, but JT7 he probably can't.

I like a turn fold.

Re: An A high calldown
 

I'd raise the flop if I think I could get to the river for that 1 extra SB.

Re: An A high calldown
 

I really feel like I've been losing money calling down in this spot. But I've been calling down anyway.

Re: An A high calldown
 

In a vaccuum, I think this is a losing play. I will usually give up fairly easily the first few times someone does this too me. I give them the benefit of the doubt that their donks usually mean a pair because they usually do. If it becomes a problem, then I will start to make a few loose calldowns to send a message to my opponent.

Another option of course, is to play it like you did. Let him know early that you will make loose call downs when he donks, and then start folding later in the session.

Re: An A high calldown
 

Your play suits better against a maniac or very aggro LAG.
Against this guy you could raise the flop for a free card and to discourage future donk bets. Folding the flop the majority of times but not always looks better to me.

Re: An A high calldown
 

[ QUOTE ]
Just the board, his range, and 35/5's usually don't 3-bet AJ etc. It could be a fd, but we have to pay a lot to see a showdown. If I played with the guy I could give a pretty close approximation of his donking range, I've been doing a lot of note taking and I'm starting to get a feel as to why players donk here.

Eg, a donk on a 458 board is often a draw. This board, he's more inclined to check-call because he can trap your pfr presumably made hand later. He donks 458 because he thinks he can fold you too, but JT7 he probably can't.

I like a turn fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is an excellent post and read on this situation. I would also like to say that I love Ahigh call down threads. They are always interesting considering these are some of the toughest situations we all face everyday. Like surfblullet said, I also have a lot of trouble interpreting these donkbets, but I agree with Arturius that due to the cordination of this board and the preflop passivity of the villain, he is very likely to have a made hand here thus making a calldown -EV versus calling the flop and folding the turn unimproved.

Results
 

Villain showed J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. MHING but he did thank me for the gift.

Thank you for the comments on this hand.