good time for a combo bet v. a TAG? or do those bets not exist....

dlpnyc21 · #1 04-27-2007, 02:20 AM

I have been doing a lot of thinking (insert laugh track here) lately about a type of bet that people have been noticing going on in the higher stakes games. I've talked to various people about it, and some, like Krantz, or Traheho, think the bet exists, while others, like whitelime, thinks it's hogwash. I've heard the type of bet I'm referring to on these boards as a "two-way bet," a "combo" bet, or, in my own terminology, a "value-bluff." I feel like someone needs to standardize a term for it.

Essentially what it is is a bet that functions in two ways. Sometimes, a worse hand will call (hence a value bet), and other times, a better hand will fold (bluff). Meaning this bet has two functions, hence, combo, two-way, or value bluff. I see durr do these kind of bets most often (i'd be curious if he sees himself as doing these kind of bets, or he views them as value bets or bluffs strictly).

In any case, this is the type of hand I am talking about. Villian in the hand is a winning TAG, 19/15. I make a loose call of the rr pre, out of position. Flop is a decent one for my hand, so I check call (no point in raising). Turn trips up. Chk chk (sometimes I lead here, sometimes not). River double pairs the board. My hand certainly has showdown value here. However, given my image is probably that of a TAGish player who will call reraises with pockets (he's seen this a few times at the tables), if I bet here, I can rep a counterfeited hand like 33-66 and sometimes get looked up by ace high, or, if I bet, I can get a hand like 99, JJ to fold.

What do people think of a river bet here? Is there any merit to it? Villian knows I'm very rarely reverse floating this dry flop, so he has to put me on something, at the very least a pocket pair, or maybe a house or even sometimes an overpair.

I'd also like any commentary on this kind of bet, and what people think of it. Other people have sworn to me that a combo bet doesn't exist and is a horrible way to think about poker, but I tend to disagree.

Thank you,
dlpnyc21

Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $20 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

CO ($1937.85)
Button ($2235)
SB ($3623.50)
BB ($400)
UTG ($1991.50)
Hero ($2007)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero raises to $70, CO calls $70, Button raises to $310, 2 folds, Hero calls $240, CO folds.

Flop: ($720) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $500, Hero calls $500.

Turn: ($1720) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: ($1720) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero??