What is UF2B?

We are 5 poker heads who are looking to elevate our games through discussion and sweat sessions with one another. This will be where we share our ideas and concepts, as well as report on our own individual growth. Each week, we will concentrate and study one poker concept and write an article on it. Please check back frequently and let us know your thoughts and opinions; we welcome your feedback.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

C-betting examples

Ok, I'm going to list some examples of hands where I have/haven't made a continuation bet, and the reasons/thoughts behind my actions.

This is a great flop to C-bet as the opponent has to have an A or a flush draw to carry on. Against one opponent, I'm C-betting this flop regardless of what I have.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1368662

I think I made a mistake in C-betting this flop. The opponent is TAG/nitty and his range is much more likely to have hit this flop than mine (and he knows it). I should take a free card here and play from the turn.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1368661

Here, this player was very loose pre- and post-flop, and had been calling pretty much all of my C-bets. Therefore I elected to not C-bet here even though the flop is a decent one to C-bet on. Against opponents who fold to C-bets 70% or more, I bet this flop.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1368656

Lastly, this is good spot to double barrel as the opponent is likely to call with a low pair or 87 type hand on the flop. The K definitely helps my range (and I pick up the nut flush draw too).
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1368671

; DODGYKEN

4 comments:

Marc said...

Hand 1: I c-bet even 2 opponents when the ace hits, whether I'm in position or out. My thinking is that a lot of my range is big aces, and I would like to get value out of and protect them. If I'm not on an ace, as you say, it's still hard for villain to continue without an ace...even a flush draw, while they might continue will have to think hard about it because if up against TP, a flush draw is going to have to pay more to draw out in general, so their implied odds drop. However, one area I worry about being exploited is when you c-bet, villain calls, and then you check the turn....you've pretty much announced that he should try taking the pot away from you on the turn (in position) or the river (if he's out of position). I don't change my strategy that much because I haven't seen a lot of people exploit that line, or at least I don't recognize that they're exploiting it. I imagine the logical adjustment is to check the turn with AK if the board is not particularly drawy.

Hand 2: Eh, I don't mind the c-bet against a TAG. I doubt you are getting a free card that often, but you could check/fold, I guess. I think it depends how many time he cold calls you postflop and how much he makes a play on a dry flop. I could definitely see checking behind on the flop guaranteed to get to the turn for free, though.

Hand 3: This is an appropriate adjustment given your read, but I assume versus an unknown you'd be c-betting. In position against the loosey-goosey guys, I will check behind the flop a fair amount because not only do you have less fold equity on the flop, but a lot of times they won't bet into you on any street, and you can just wait to hit your hand and bet. I'm not sure how common it is, but there are certainly some guys out there who will rarely fold to a flop c-bet, but who seem to fold all the time on the turn after you check behind the flop. So, you can just delay your c-bet.

Hand 4: I've got mixed feelings on this hand. While what you say is true about the king helping your range a ton (and likely not helping him at all), I would hate to be checkraised off this hand.

DODGYKEN said...

Hand 1: Yeah, I don't worry too much about floating at this level. If I'm OOP against a guy who's shown a tendency to do just that I might fire again on a drawy flop, or (more likely) I'll check a real hand to him on the turn and check-raise his ass.

Hand 2: I really think this C-bet was a mistake. He plays something like 17/9 and his cold-calling range is basically only small pairs. I don't think he folds any of his range on that flop. I pretty happy check-folding it to be honest. I will try and check-raise sometimes with a big overpair against him on a flop like this to balance it out.

Hand 3: Against most players I 'll bet this flop. A lot of players will continue to spew money into C-bets though even though they know their opponent never folds to them. This was to show that you do need to adjust if that's happening and just bet your made hands for value. It seems weak, but it's better than giving away money.

Hand 4: I agree that I don't want to be check-raised off my hand here. The reason I bet is because if I check I probably have to make my flush or A to win the pot. He's unlikely to put me on the flush draw when I bet the turn, and I think his flop range is 22-88 and maybe some suited connectors, so I'm happy to bet and take him off the majority of those hands. If he check-raises me I don't like it, but I'll decide if I have odds to make the call (keeping in mind that he almost certainly has a set and will probably pay off a backdoor flush).

Remember that I'll only make my flush 1 in 5 times so I'd rather take a stab at it on the turn as I think this makes me more money in the long run than checking and having to hit my flush and then trying to extract value from it.

PGK said...

I'm back! This blog kicks ass. I'm so happy you guys have hooked up because of my little idea and are going to all benefit because of it.

This article kicks ass Ken, great examples and reasoning. Love it!

Pete

Gregory Lynn said...

I really like the idea of looking at several hands around the same topic.

I actually agree with your analysis in every case so I don't really have much to add. Sometimes I find myself habitually c-betting everything and I think that's a good way to lose money.