50NL AK blind battle

[DrRock]

villain is 35/8/.59
We have been going at it pretty hard. He has persistently limped the sb and every single time I raise 4bb no matter my holdings and he called me every time. He folds to aggression if he doesnt hit anything and check raises his big hands.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Button ($27.80)
SB ($88.75)
Hero ($75.60)
UTG ($19.65)
MP ($40.40)
CO ($17.95)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls $0.50, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to $1.5</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $5</font>, UTG folds, SB calls $3.50.

Flop: ($10.50) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $7</font>, SB calls $7.

Turn: ($24.50) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks

Is there ever a reason to check here? I am almost certain he doesnt have much, because he checkraised every other time he hit top pair. am I thinking too much?

[Imrahil]

I bet like $15 and fold to a raise. This guy will only raise if he has you beat.

Or you could check and call a river bet or bet the river yourself.

[RAHZero]

[ QUOTE ]
Is there ever a reason to check here?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I'll check behind quite often here for pot control and to try to get value on the river. If he usually check-raises his bigger hands, you almost certainly have the best hand here. There are few draws on this board, and no overcards that can come against your hand. If he's got an AJ, KQ, QQ type hand, checking here may get him to call a bet on the river, while he'd normally just fold the turn. By checking, you also lose less when you're beat, and might induce a bluff on the river(not likely with this guys stats, but possible). If this guy's showdown stats are bad (W$@SD is like 40% or so), then I might just try to keep extracting here. But usually I just like a check behind, planning to call a bet on the river or bet myself if he checks the river.

[Hank Scorpio]

You need to bet here for value.

[DrRock]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Is there ever a reason to check here?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I'll check behind quite often here for pot control and to try to get value on the river. If he usually check-raises his bigger hands, you almost certainly have the best hand here. There are few draws on this board, and no overcards that can come against your hand. If he's got an AJ, KQ, QQ type hand, checking here may get him to call a bet on the river, while he'd normally just fold the turn. By checking, you also lose less when you're beat, and might induce a bluff on the river(not likely with this guys stats, but possible). If this guy's showdown stats are bad (W$@SD is like 40% or so), then I might just try to keep extracting here. But usually I just like a check behind, planning to call a bet on the river or bet myself if he checks the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

that was exactly my thought process. Afterwards I was wondering if maybe I could have got more out of him, but I think the check on the turn enabled me to get money out of him on the river....thanks

[Hank Scorpio]

Normally I like the check turn / bet river line, but not against a calling station like villian here.

[RAHZero]

[ QUOTE ]
Normally I like the check turn / bet river line, but not against a calling station like villian here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, it does really depend. Like I said above, I've been using a lot of SD stats rather than VPIP/PFR/AF to make these decisions lately. If villain's WTSD is high and his W$@SD is low, then a turn value bet is OK. However, if villain is simply passive but shows down fairly while, then I like check turn / bet river.

[DrRock]

[ QUOTE ]
Normally I like the check turn / bet river line, but not against a calling station like villian here.

[/ QUOTE ]

In hindsight I think actually he would have folded the turn bet. He took the full time on his clock to call my 2/3 pot river bet with his AJ. He had folded to turn bets previously and did seem like a thinking player. Hindsight helps though.

[Hank Scorpio]

Ya, there's nothing wrong with either line honestly.

[Shaddux]

Firing every street against this type of player gives you the most value.