Increasing our BB/100... bluff betting flops out of the blinds

[Dr. Matt]

I've been told by players that are better than me that I do not bluff enough (MrWookie and Marquis). I am fairly certain that Marquis' blind #s are so good because he does a fair amount of bluff blind stealing... you'll see what I mean in a minute. I therefore opened up and began bluffing in the previous session I had.

A little about the session... I sat down at an empty 0.50/1 6-max table and let the fish flock to me. The first few were limping to me in the SB, so I didn't think too highly of their game. Eventually, the table filled up and the two final hands were at a full table with 3-4 LPs and a maniac or two. Most examples here are 2-3 handed.

I based my bluff off the board texture and if there were scare cards or if it would be likely my opponent were on a draw.

I know this is not a commonly talked-about subject (bluffing), so open your minds a little and try to think of reasons why or why not bluffing could be correct...

I also know some of these are semibruffs and thin valuebets...

1)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (3 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero… </font>

2)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
Button calls, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

3)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
Button calls, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

4)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
Button calls, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

5)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
Button calls, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

6)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

7)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

8)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (2 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

9)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls, Button calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero checks.

Flop: (3.50 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero…</font>

10)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (3 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero… </font>


SO WHAT SAY YE?!

[ESKiMO-SiCKNE5S]

1) bet/check is roughly neutral
2) value bet
3) check/fold
4) check/fold
5) bet and its close
6) bet not close
7) raise preflop, value bet flop
8) bet not close
9) check/fold
10) bet not close

[Bruce D]

1) Its a great semibluff that will likely get you a free card if you are called.

2) May not well be a bluff. You may have the best hand. Bet it.

3) I don't bet it. People call often with overs thinking early position bettor is betting a flush draw.

4) Board could be very scary for villian to call. Bet it.

5) You have a gutshot, but if villain doesn't put you on a J, then he may try to catch his overs. I like to take a free card here if possible.

6) Although this has a flush draw, I now bet this one. We now have position. However, we must continue to fire on all three streets if the flush draw doesn't complete.

7) Bet. We have position and we may have the best hand.

8) Bet. We have position, and an uncoordinated board.

9) Check. Easy for someone with one or two overs to call.

10) See 6 above except we don't have to continue to fire if we get called.




3)

[Point Blank]

1
bet over check (but not by much) ... you have a gut shot and position
2
bet
you most likely have the best hand
3
check ...
two flush and J8 connection make getting called more likely
4
check
paired board on heavy connection
having the board paired will getting loose peels IMO
5
bet
board is dead
6
bet &gt;~ check
hero has position but I generally don't like bluffing two-tone board with something extra that will make villain peel ... but I would bet it most likely
7
bet
you likely have the best hand ... also, depending on SB I may like a raise here (I don't like sbs thinking they can take a cheap flop so will raise in this spot with a lot of hand Aces, some Kings, pairs, suitedconnectors ... really depends how I'm doing that day)
8
bet
9
check
two pf callers will have hands connecting with this flop too often
10
check &gt;~ bet
really depends on UTG ...

[Zeldark]

I selected 4, 7, 8, 10 for their bluffing value, which is what this is post is about. These are somewhat scary boards with crapish hands that we can easily get away from if the bluff fails. Hand number 1 I think is better checked behind. I think the average unknown is stiking around with other random (better) crap often enough to just check behind and hope for the gutshot. The others I'll voice my 2 cents later on perhaps.

[ESKiMO-SiCKNE5S]

[ QUOTE ]
4) Board could be very scary for villian to call. Bet it.

[/ QUOTE ]

just wanted to say i disagree with this.

any 2 cards 7-A are taking one off, gutshots, overs and straight draws

[lautzutao]

I think your bluffing w/ these hands HU and 3way should be done before the flop w/ a lot of these hands. And some of them aren't bluffs per-se, they're semi-bluffs or just straight up value bets. You need to focus more on why you're not raising Ax preflop shorthanded and less on your bluff strategies at this point.

[NIX]

1 - I check. I think the board is connected enough that you won't fold the button and may likely get a free card anyways.
2 - Value bet
3 - Check. Board is rather connected, I think you may get called quite a bit.
4 - Check. Same as 3, although you may be able to two/three barrel this one and take it down.
5 - Bet flop, check behind UI on turn.
6 - Hard to hit that board, bet.
7 - Bet flop, you are likely ahead.
8 - Not too connected, and an ace on board. I bet against weaker players.
9 - Check.
10 - Bet, unlikely villain hit that.

[Bruce D]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
4) Board could be very scary for villian to call. Bet it.

[/ QUOTE ]

just wanted to say i disagree with this.

any 2 cards 7-A are taking one off, gutshots, overs and straight draws

[/ QUOTE ]

True. I guess it depends on how weak our opponent is. If we know his stealing standards (if he has any) then this becomes more clear to me.

I think I was thinking logically that we would not be in the hand if villian had any pp &gt;5 or any A5+, K6+, Q7+, or J8+, T9, (ie he would raise with these hands and we would therefore fold) but that information was not given. If I make these assumtions that he doesn't have any of those holdings, then I bet. If villian is weak and passive, then I can agree that betting is a questionable play.

[ESKiMO-SiCKNE5S]

even against 2 random cards, i think he generally takes one off on the flop. him VPIPing makes it way more likely.