Bluff the bluffer?

[r8ed]

This guy is certainly willing to make loose plays and he will bluff, but he will lay down hands too. I didn't show down a losing hand for over an hour before this. I put him on a King or missed the flush. Good bluff?

- La_viola sitting in seat 1 with $39.25
- donhaka sitting in seat 3 with $97.29
- Theblindman7 sitting in seat 4 with $101.37
- jandje sitting in seat 5 with $152.05
- Dactyl sitting in seat 6 with $62.04 [Dealer]

La_viola posted the small blind - $0.50
donhaka posted the big blind - $1.00

** Dealing card to jandje: 10 of Spades, Queen of Spades
Theblindman7 called - $1.00
jandje called - $1.00
Dactyl folded
La_viola called - $1.00
donhaka checked

** Dealing the flop: King of Spades, 10 of Clubs, 5 of Spades
La_viola checked
donhaka checked
Theblindman7 bet - $2.00
jandje called - $2.00
La_viola folded
donhaka folded

** Dealing the turn: 3 of Diamonds
Theblindman7 bet - $1.00
jandje raised - $6.00
Theblindman7 called - $6.00

** Dealing the river: 6 of Hearts
Theblindman7 bet - $4.00
jandje raised - $20.00

[finky]

My usual line would be to raise the flop and get a freebee on the turn.

As played I'm not sure about the river raise. A K probably wont turn down 3:1, especally as you have not shown consistant strength (any type of hand would raise the flop to get the draws out) and there are no scare cards to rep. A busted draw won't call anything. You have an okay hand against his range, why not go for a cheap showdown as you will only play for the bigger pot if you are behind?

[aislephive]

I would raise here on the cutoff to isolate on the limper, with that said I would raise this flop all day. Second pair with a flush draw is a huge flop for your hand.

On the river I don't see any value in raising. The river bet/raise in NLHE is supposed to accomplish one of two things. Either a better hand folds, or a worse hand calls. How many better hands than yours fold? A king probably doesn't fold here, AT probably will, but that's about the only hand here that beats your that will lay down to a raise. I don't think any worse hands will call, maybe if he is stupid he'll call with a ten with a worse kicker.

I think he probably has something like QJ, a busted flush draw, or something silly like 99. I think a call on the river is a much better play than raising though.

[r8ed]

I don't want a call. His paltry turn and river bets let me know he's not confident in his hand. He would have bet higher on the river (and turn) if he had something as I noticed from his previous betting. If he does call and win, I can run similar lines when I do have something.

[aislephive]

The thing is, you're probably bluffing with the best hand, and I see that happening all the time. It's a losing play, period. Why not just call and show down your pair of tens? It's probably the best hand, but if you reraise and get called you're almost certainly beat. However you probably have the best hand, but no hands you beat will call you. So I ask you again, what is the value in raising?

[r8ed]

The thing is, you're probably bluffing with the best hand, and I see that happening all the time. It's a losing play, period. Why not just call and show down your pair of tens? It's probably the best hand, but if you reraise and get called you're almost certainly beat. However you probably have the best hand, but no hands you beat will call you. So I ask you again, what is the value in raising?

I think there is a good chance he has a King or maybe AT, so my Ten is no good. That's the only reason I pumped it up. He's basically putting out a blocking bet. Why should I give him a cheap showdown when that's what he wants? If he had me beat he would have led out more (I'm 90% sure of this). I'd rather take the existing pot instead of calling and hoping Ten high holds up.

I like keeping pressure on opponents and forcing them to make decisions they usually wouldn't. Once I get that image going, I roll with it. In fact, I'm pretty sure this is how guys like ILikeAces play. They just know how to lay down hands when they sense it - I don't. I also like to be unpredictable. Every time I post a hand on here, somebody is saying "why did you do this?" which is great because I learn every time. But sometimes the explanation is - because that's not what people expect me to do.

[aislephive]

I think if he has a king he will definitely call you down, like I said AT is the only hand I could see him having that beats you that will fold to a raise. I just don't think raising here long term is a profitable play when you likely have the best hand but you will only get called when you're beat. Raising just for the hell of it is the wrong attitude in my opinion. I like to try and get a LAG image if I can (some tables you should just play TAG though), but every bet should serve a purpose aside from just building an image. It either builds the pot with your strong hands, forces an opponent out of a pot with a better hand, or you find out where you are in the hand by their reaction to your bet. Just something to keep in mind when you're betting.

[Miffed22001]

he needs a better hand than yours to call and i dont think he had it eg good top pair.
I think thi play is fine providing you arent playing a calling station or you know he doesnt have a strong enough hand in the face of your aggression

[zenbitz]

Is it just me, or is the:
call
call
raise brick on turn funny?