When to give up when you miss

[Man of Means]

Preflop starts a chain reaction of having to bet to win the ever-increasing pot. This happens sometimes, but realizing you're out of position, you might consider limping, then trying to pick up the small pot on a dry flop. But raising isn't out of line.

If we can quantify how tight BB is, the hand is easier to understand.

Check the river. Your bet will get called by a pair very often, and only serves to block a bluff attempt on his part. If he is passive, he is not likely to bet the river without a pair. Sometimes you'll get a free showdown and win with K-high.

[elindauer]

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but realizing you're out of position, you might consider limping, then trying to pick up the small pot on a dry flop.

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Result-oriented thinking. Raising preflop is way better than limping. You are getting 3:1 against a random hand and a likely weak hand. Raise.

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Check the river. Your bet will get called by a pair very often, and only serves to block a bluff attempt on his part.

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The problem is, if we check, we nearly have to call anyways! after all, unless he rivered an ace, his river betting range is full chock full of missed draws. Most players do not bet 2nd and 3rd pair when checked to after a river ace. They can't imagine being called by a worse hand.

Given that, betting is better than checking, as we pick up fold equity from a scary river card. I can imagine many decent players deciding that if they weren't beaten before, they surely are now, and folding 1 pair. I might.

-eric

[wizard]

I like a slightly different line because of the 2 suited board. You raise has made the pot big enough for a flush or straight draw to call you down and maybe improve by hitting a pair. Give them (and you) a free turn catd and reevaluate. If he checks again you can bet and it is now wrong for him to call with 8 or 9 outs. With this board, it looks like you missed the flop but hit the turn.

I would have limped but think your raise is well thought out and appropriate. Check this river with this board and a tight BB.

[elindauer]

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Give them (and you) a free turn catd and reevaluate.

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As you are out of position, you don't have this choice. Even in position though, I think failing to bet this turn is a mistake. Yes, there are draws that will continue, but that's why you bet the river. A turn bet can fold a hand like a Ax that was just peeling the flop... it would be a shame to talk him into winning this pot when it would have cost so little, given our high pot equity, to take a shot at folding him.

-eric

[elindauer]

I like it. I especially like that you have a reason for making every action in the hand. You're on your way to becoming an excellent player. Keep it up.

The only street I might play differently is the turn. I sometimes check-raise in that spot. I find that I pick up extra money from missed hands this way (since they will often fire) and I can get folds from the weakest hands more easily, as my hand looks absolutely huge. With so many likely outs (8 straight + overcard) I like this combination.

If he checks behind, hey, I'm still drawing man. I'm happy with that. I give up a bit of fold equity in this case perhaps, but in my experience it's worth the trade.

Note that I check-raise big hands after this action all the time. The whole sequence screams "continuation bet, ok I give up", so the turn is bet by the villain both with made hands (for protection) and with bluffs (to steal from a hand that appears to have missed). When you check-raise, it just as powerfully screams "haha! I trapped you!", which can induce some big folds at times (I judge this by the frequency with which I see think think think think think think think fold).

-eric