Unofficial Raising Blockers Thread

I m no mod so obv this can't be the official thread

I ve been playing a lot more "standard aggro" poker (25/21 ish) lately since moving up to nl400 (since my superlaggy tricks don t work as well on the regs as they did at nl200).

The most important move I think for me since moving up is raising blockers on the river (assuming you have a decent image).

This is really very very important imo if you want to beat the regs.

Typically action will be they call your c-bet OOP, the turn checks through, then they bet 1/2 to 2/3 pot on the river with lots left behind.

Once their bet gets closer to full pot, you're more likely to be looking at a range of big hand/bluff so bluff raising isn't as relevant.

Usually it's a weak made hand (something like ATs on A high board) and the bet is made with the purpose of extracting value from worse, freezing you into calling with slightly better and allowing them to insta-fold to your better made hand. So we gotz to raze.

I'll post some hands when I'm less drunk and can get my fkin PTracker to work again.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (5 handed) Party Poker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($247.32)
SB ($392)
BB ($388)
Hero ($400)
MP ($556.12)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif.
Hero raises to $14, MP calls $14, 2 folds, BB calls $10.

Flop: ($44) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $35, MP folds, BB calls $35.

Turn: ($114) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($114) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (2 players)
BB bets $64, Hero calls $400 (All-In), BB folds.

Final Pot: $578

$400 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Tuesday, October 23, 19:24:25 ET 2007
Table Table 127409 (No DP) (Real Money)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 2: HERO ( $449.87 USD )
Seat 5: WEAK TAGG ( $341.40 USD )
Seat 4: tranmerd ( $389.60 USD )
Seat 1: rafaelmadera ( $490.90 USD )
Seat 3: UnaVitaConTe ( $1,096.53 USD )
Seat 6: NeverMind21 ( $400 USD )
tranmerd posts small blind [$2 USD].
WEAK TAGG posts big blind [$4 USD].

** Dealing down cards **

Dealt to HERO :as: :qc:
rafaelmadera folds.
HERO raises [$14 USD]
UnaVitaConTe folds.
tranmerd folds.
WEAK TAGG calls [$10 USD]

** Dealing Flop ** :kd: :5d: :js:

WEAK TAGG checks.
HERO bets [$21 USD]
WEAK TAGG calls [$21 USD]

** Dealing Turn ** :3c:

WEAK TAGG checks.
HERO checks.

** Dealing River ** :jd:
WEAK TAGG bets [$30 USD]
HERO raises [$112 USD]
WEAK TAGG folds.
HERO does not show cards.
HERO wins $212 USD
#Game No : 6439639780

the first one looks pretty nuts. If i was a thinking reg and knew you were a (very aggressive) thinking reg, i would only be able to give you credit for 4-5 and look you up with probably any ace. Easier said than done though. I suppose if you are known to occasionally slowplay this hand is much better.

i like the second one.

$400 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Tuesday, November 06, 12:04:56 ET 2007
Table Jackpot #1305503 (No DP) (Real Money)
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 6: HERO ( $659.60 USD )
Seat 3: luttilo ( $566 USD )
Seat 1: zakhy ( $370 USD )
Seat 5: gekko_11 ( $346.40 USD )
Seat 2: Yourdaddylovesyou ( $631.80 USD )
Seat 4: Aikisensai ( $400 USD )
Yourdaddylovesyou posts small blind [$2 USD].
luttilo posts big blind [$4 USD].

** Dealing down cards **

Dealt to HERO :3h: :5h:
gekko_11 folds.
HERO raises [$14 USD]
zakhy folds.
Yourdaddylovesyou raises [$46 USD]
luttilo folds.
HERO calls [$34 USD]

** Dealing Flop ** :kd: :8s: :9c:

Yourdaddylovesyou bets [$75 USD]
HERO calls [$75 USD]

** Dealing Turn ** :2d:

Yourdaddylovesyou checks.
HERO checks.
** Dealing River ** :4h:
Yourdaddylovesyou bets [$180 USD]
HERO is all-In.
Yourdaddylovesyou : AA
Yourdaddylovesyou folds.
HERO does not show cards.
The time at which hand ended:Nov 06 2007 12:05 ET
HERO wins $964.10 USD


This is slightly less nutty than it looks because of history.

In hands like hand 1, you are pushing the river assuming that villain is capable of letting go an ace. If thats the case, why not just double barrel on the turn? The river push in this spot is risking a lot to win a lot less, it has to work very often I feel. I just don't see why bet/check/raise is better than bet/bet in this spot?

I like hand 2, at least you can rep a Jack here.

Hand 3 - I highly doubt he's folding AA there.. he musta been all talk. I think I insta call here with good kings, I don't see what you're trying to rep?

ya i don't doubt I just caught him in a bluff in that last hand griffey

in hand 1 seems like 2 barelling is a fine option

however as played i just think it s harder to call a river shove than it is to take a weak line and call 2 barrels (esp when turn opens up lots of big semi-bluffs)

These hands are awesome, especially considering you consider so strongly why rather than what (which I think you need to potentially look at as a leak in your game).

isf i m assuming by "why" you mean detailed ranges and reasoning supporting wacky plays

by "what" you mean superficially sick plays that discount ppl's ranges and are more geared towards showing off

if that s the case i agree it is often a leak of mine. one of the big problems with me making sick meta-game plays is that I don't play enough with the regs for my image to pay off.

anyways, thx for the feedback and plz let me know if I'm not quite accurate in understanding your above post

raising blockers against good players is bad because they can read hands and they see that you checked the turn

raising blockers against bad players is bad because they call too much

so guess we gotta find the mediocre weak taggs eh

bingo

No by why i mean you literally look at why they bet (size, timing, etc). Blocking bets by definition are bets that are made because they want to fold, that's "why" they made them.

"What" is putting people on ranges. For example on hand 2 the river is a horrible card to raise given opps range.

Both are essential and why normally comes before what.

Gah, I just removed it instead - my poor eyes couldn't take more of that - sorry to all who had to watch it :P

goddammit pokerswede the convertor tilts me so much

but i struggled through it and figured out what you had

in this case I think it d be best to value-raise the river because he's probably just folding his 88ish hand to your shove

i m particularly interested in this play vs the right ppl when you are in position with air on the river

ok cool isf

i thought you were referring to the "what" and "why" to my actions, not to villains'

and comon! hand 2 is suuuuuch a blocker with a KT KQ-type hand since weak villains often amaze me by check-calling flushes here

$400 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Friday, November 09, 17:29:00 ET 2007
Table Table 126844 (Real Money)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: DTR1981 ( $604.90 USD )
Seat 4: CTPAXA_HET ( $46 USD )
Seat 5: Tommen5 ( $100.70 USD )
Seat 2: Erkonada ( $417.90 USD )
Seat 3: HERO ( $587.20 USD )
Seat 6: JVL31 ( $406 USD )
CTPAXA_HET posts small blind [$2 USD].
Tommen5 posts big blind [$4 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to HERO :jh: :9h:
JVL31 folds.
Erkonada folds.
HERO raises [$12 USD]
CTPAXA_HET folds.
Tommen5 calls [$8 USD]

** Dealing Flop ** :ac: :as: :7d:

Tommen5 checks.
HERO checks.

** Dealing Turn ** :8d:

Tommen5 bets [$8 USD]
HERO calls [$8 USD]

** Dealing River ** :8c:

Tommen5 bets [$20 USD]
HERO is all-In.
Tommen5 folds.
HERO does not show cards.
HERO wins $627.20 USD


$400 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Friday, November 09, 17:38:56 ET 2007
Table Table 127604 (No DP) (Real Money)
Seat 4 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: powerrrpill ( $400 USD )
Seat 2: ninjia3x ( $544.20 USD )
Seat 4: fish0123 ( $197.80 USD )
Seat 3: HERO ( $576.30 USD )
Seat 5: Scottyfolds4 ( $93.60 USD )
Seat 6: CTPAXA_HET ( $104.80 USD )
Scottyfolds4 posts small blind [$2 USD].
CTPAXA_HET posts big blind [$4 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to HERO :ah: :kd:
powerrrpill folds.
ninjia3x raises [$14 USD]
HERO calls [$14 USD]
fish0123 folds.
Scottyfolds4 calls [$12 USD]
CTPAXA_HET folds.

** Dealing Flop ** :2s: :5c: :4s:

Scottyfolds4 checks.
ninjia3x bets [$35 USD]
HERO raises [$79 USD]
Scottyfolds4 folds.
ninjia3x calls [$44 USD]

** Dealing Turn ** :7d:

ninjia3x checks.
HERO checks.

** Dealing River ** :9c:

ninjia3x bets [$155 USD]
HERO is all-In.
ninjia3x folds.
HERO does not show cards.
HERO wins $839.30 USD