Post-Flop Aggressiveness (with AQ)

PMR · #1 05-09-2007, 02:49 PM

Hello -- long-time reader, first time poster. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I have recently returned to LHE (10-handed) and I suspect that I my post-flop play has been too passive in big pots... potentially a major leak! I'm looking for situations in which post-flop bets/raises (without having a great hand) will win enough pots to be profitable. I want these things to happen more frequently:

1) I bet and am called, rather than me calling another player's bet
2) I semi-bluff, causing passive players and marginal hands to fold (and possibly allowing for a free card)
3) I cause a (would-be) bluffer to fold, rather than me folding to a bluff
4) I get more action on my bets/raises when I hit the nuts because I am not read as passive post-flop

Of course, I plan to alter my play substantially only in a minority of situations; I don't intend to go from playing too passively to becoming a reckless maniac. The difficult and scary part for me is determining exactly which post-flop scenarios call for more aggressiveness. Any advice on this, general or specific, would be greatly appreciated.

Below is a transcript of a hand that I played today. I was going after a substantial pot more aggressively than usual. This sort of play is experimental for me and I'd love critiques on my attempt to swim in these murky waters!

A small sample of preflop/postflop stats show that CO is LP/P, SB is TP/A, and BB is LP/P. No reads.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10-handed) Hand History Converter Tool

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
3 folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, CO calls, 1 fold, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (8 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB bets, BB calls, Hero raises, CO calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (8 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, CO checks.

River: (8 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets

I raised on the flop to see where my hand stood, and to possibly get a free river draw for an overpair or back-door flush. On the river, after nothing but checks after my raise was called on the flop, I thought I had a chance to take down the pot. It seemed that the other players were after a draw that didn't hit (meaning I might actually have the best hand) or were scared that I had kings, trips, or better.

Still, I am uncertain of my play throughout this hand, and any input would be helpful. Thanks!

Dr. Matt · #2 05-09-2007, 02:52 PM

flop raise is pretty bad. Just call... then fold the turn. River bet is going to be checked up on at least 99.99% of the time from one of your 3 opponents, since you checked the turn... so I'm not a fan.

kerowo · #3 05-09-2007, 02:56 PM

Generally passive players call so betting this river with A high isn't a good default position with more than one passive guy left.

I don't particularly care for the flop raise and I'm going to tell you why. At .25/.50 you aren't going to get rid of the hands you are behind and no one folds a flush draw.

The river bet is pretty bad too because you have no hand. Anyone who calls is either insane (make a note) or has you beat.

edited to add That's right I disliked the river so much I complained about it twice. Wanna fight about it?

PMR · #4 05-09-2007, 03:07 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. It sounds like my "old way" of playing this sort of hand -- call the flop, fold to future bets if I don't hit an overpair or flush draw -- was preferable to what I did here.

The question remains then... in what places should a player look to increase his post-flop aggressiveness? I'm especially referring to when the pot is large before the flop (larger than in the hand I posted). I feel like I'm letting these big pots go without enough of a fight. On the other hand, I don't want to lose money by betting draws and marginal hands against players who almost always call.

Perhaps the bigger question: should a player be aggressive post-flop in micro limit games? If so, how?

kerowo · #5 05-09-2007, 03:10 PM

The best advice for all the general hands you are talking about is to value bet your made hands and call your draws. Without being more specific about board texture, table and player reads it is difficult to be more specific.