Too thin?

This is an atypical play for me but I haven't been at this table long enough for that to mean anything to my opponents. Villain here runs 50/20/3 over a tiny sample of just 20 hands, but he has donked into a raiser twice before this.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP ($46.30)
Hero ($56.55)
Button ($13.30)
SB ($79.55)
BB ($53.60)
UTG ($40.70)

Preflop: Hero is CO with .
2 folds, Hero raises to $1.5, 1 fold, SB calls $1.25, 1 fold.

Flop: ($3.50) , :Ah:, :Ts: (2 players)
SB bets $2.5, Hero raises to $8.5, SB calls $6.

Turn: ($20.50) (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $14...

Flop is fine but give up after that.

^^^^ what he said

I kinda like it. I'd like it more on some other non-heart turn but this could be good.

I've done this so many times and found that they almost never fold the turn once they call the flop. The flop raise is definitely good though. You still have some showdown value so just check behind turn and c/f river.

Originally Posted by meeloche

I've done this so many times and found that they almost never fold the turn once they call the flop. The flop raise is definitely good though. You still have some showdown value so just check behind turn and c/f river.

I think this is about how I feel too. I got him to fold here but thinking back on my overall track record with this situation, they usually call - and I hate 3-barrelling into someone who is obviously weak but won't let it go.

I'm out of there after the flop action, esp if SB is the type that could flat any ace pre.

Originally Posted by Deanglow

Flop is fine but give up after that.

What Dean said +1.

BTW, do you always raise only 3xBB preflop? I play micros, but I tend to raise at least 3.5x and usually 4x from the CO and BTN. Just curious about your thoughts on size of open-raises.

Originally Posted by Robb

BTW, do you always raise only 3xBB preflop? I play micros, but I tend to raise at least 3.5x and usually 4x from the CO and BTN. Just curious about your thoughts on size of open-raises.

I could write a book on the subject. OK maybe not a book, but a very long chapter or two. Here's the very brief version:

1. I usually start with a baseline raise of 3x. I've found that at a standard 25 or 50 NL table it gets about the amount of action I want, which is zero to two callers, and isn't appreciably different from the now-common "pot raise" (which is 3.5x if there are no limpers).

2. I almost always make adjustments for limpers and dead money blind posts. Usually I increase the raise 1xBB per limper, sometimes a little more if the limpers are loose.

3. I will change my raise sizes at times for specific hands or opponent stack sizes. This involves more explanation than I want to get into but my thoughts about this changed from how they used to be ("always raise the same to disguise your hand") when I re-read Sklansky's no limit book. He makes a good case for mixing up your raise size and often (but not always) raising more when you want to build a bigger pot.

4. I will change my raise sizes depending on how loose or tight my opponents are, and how the table is playing as a whole. If I'm getting too many callers I start raising more across the board, while still making the adjustments mentioned above.

5. I will change my raise sizes depending on position. The same two cards might get a different raise UTG than on the button. This point applies less than the others but in an aggressive game I don't like to raise and then get reraised off my hand more than necessary, so I might raise more or less in early position than normal; and I might raise differently on the button too, if the blinds are aggressive players who like to 3-bet. It becomes a game of psychological warfare. I might make a smaller button raise or an unusually large one to get them wondering why the sudden change in raise size. Sometimes I'm trying to induce more folds from someone who might be thinking fold or 3-bet; sometimes I'm trying to induce a call or 3-bet from someone who suspects I'm stealing. Etc.

At micros I would probably end up raising more across the board due to #4, because I know a lot of micro players call too much and I don't want every hand I raise to go to a flop four or five-way. (Sometimes I don't mind it, but with stuff like AK I certainly do.)