An Alternative Play When Inducing Bluffs/Bets

[James.]

In today’s tighter more aggressive online environment, HU situations are more and more common. Along with these HU situations comes the task of maximizing value with marginal made hands while losing the least to better hands.

A lot of our opponents at these levels and in these games are very aggressive. This is particularly true in the shorthanded 6 max games. A good strategy to obtain value and thwart paying a lot of money to showdown is checking the turn to induce a bluff. This is a viable strategy for holdings that have HU showdown value as weak as Ahigh(and sometimes King high).

A variation of this play that gets discussed less often is checking the flop rather than the turn, in an attempt to induce multiple bluffs on the big streets. When used in the proper situation you can obtain an additional small bet over the more common bet flop/ check turn/ call river line. This works best with pairs of Aces and Kings(and to a lesser extent Queens) but is a good choice with any showdownable hand. The weaker your hand the more aggressive you prefer your opponent to be. For example:

You open on the button with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], the aggressive big blind calls.

Flop: A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

He checks, you check.

Since the pot is small and your opponent is aggressive, checking behind here can be a strong play. While it’s true the board is draw-heavy, HU it’s less of a concern and the small pot reinforces this also.

Given our opponent, since we showed weakness he is likely to fire the turn with most pairs, draws(as weak as a gutshot) and even as a pure bluff. On the river, many times the same thing holds true. He will bluff missed draws as well as other junk holdings, valuebluff most pairs or bet simply because betting is fun.

As I stated before, the more aggressive the opponent the weaker the hand you can check behind with:

You raise in the MP with 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], the LAGgy big blind calls.

Flop: A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

He checks, you check!

While on the surface this is clearly a debatable play. As long as you are certain you are showing down(since you’ve under-represented your hand) in this situation, and villain is very aggressive the flop check can increase value later. Why? It expands your opponent’s hand range. When you widen his range, you increase your equity versus his holdings and as a result make more money off of every bet that goes in. Most LAGs can barely contain themselves when an opponent shows weakness or they think they can push an opponent off of a hand. This allows you to punish them for their over-aggression by inducing them to haplessly put money in on the big streets when there is no way you are folding.

It’s generally not a good idea to do this against passive opponents. They pay off with very weak holdings and if they checkraise you can safely fold your hand. Checking the flop against them is giving up too much value.

As discussed, checking the flop has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

You are giving a “cheap” free card as opposed to checking the turn and giving a freebie on a big bet street.

In terms of equity, you can gain value since you widen your opponent’s range postflop.

You induce your opponent into bluffing the big streets(earn an extra small bet over the traditional bet flop, check turn, call river line).

Not as much, but if you decide to raise a big street for value(because you have improved or your holding warrants it and you think your opponent may pay off), your odd play might result in a calldown that otherwise might not be made.

Mixing your play aids in keeping your opposition off balance.

The small pot gives you leverage to maneuver without “costing” much if you do get outdrawn.

Helps mitigate losses to better hands while giving yourself a free shot to outdraw your opponent.

Opponents start “donking” into you more with hands of value(because they are afraid you’re going to check behind) making it easier to read their holdings.

Disadvantages:

Any time you give a free card you risk being outdrawn.

If you don’t properly assess your opponent’s tendencies it can backfire and you lose value.

You lose an extra small bet to a better hand the times you are behind and don’t outdraw your opponent.

Obviously all advantages and disadvantages are relative to your actual holding, your image, and your opponent. Also, there are probably some other benefits/disadvantages that I’ve excluded(feel free to add them). The point is, this play can be a viable alternative to the standard turn check behind. In fact, it can be superior in a couple respects when used in the proper scenario.

Also, you must balance this with other flop checks and flop bets. Keep in mind, I’m not saying to start checking behind the flop every time you’re heads up with position with a made hand. Routinely doing that without regard to your opponent is going to sacrifice way to much value and give too many free cards. Rather, as with all strategies pertaining to Hold Em, mix this with the rest of a well-balanced plan and you make it tougher to play against you while increasing your earn in the long-run.