Inducing a bluff with A-high.

[bdawg56kg]

CO in this hand was a total fish. He's called most of my preflop raises up to this point. He just seems like an overall bad player. In this hand he has $85, I cover. I've been cutting down on my c-bets because there was one or two other bad players that called way to much. Thoughts?

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
5 players
Converter

Hero is UTG with A K

Pre-flop: (5 players)
Hero raises to $8, CO calls, 3 folds.

Flop: 6 - J - 4 ($19, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks.

Turn: 2 ($19, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $8, Hero calls.

River: J ($35, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $12, Hero calls.

Final pot: $59

[mcatdog]

I like this a whole hell of a lot, and I do it all the time. Usually not with ace high (although I've done it with ace high before), but with weak made hands that almost everyone would just c-bet. Inducing bluffs is a big part of my game. Great hand to post.

[johnnyBuz]

i could easily see him having a6s or a4s.

[ender555]

you might be ahead here, but as soon as people learn you're willing to call down like this they can just valuebet the shit out of you.

Betting this flop is much more profitable than inducing a turn bluff.

[bdawg56kg]

you might be ahead here, but as soon as people learn you're willing to call down like this they can just valuebet the shit out of you.

Why is this necessarily a bad thing? Realize that this type of play is not standard for me by any means, and I don't take this line without at least some kind of read. Also, I didn't check the flop with the purpose of inducing a bluff on latter streets. The way the hand played out I thought there was a good possibility A-high was the best hand.

Betting this flop is much more profitable than inducing a turn bluff.

I am not going to argue here, since you very well may be correct. Like I said in the original post, my c-bets weren't working very effectively, so I decided to cut down on them.

[bdawg56kg]

i could easily see him having a6s or a4s.

Maybe, but I think there's a good chance he checks behind with a 6 or a 4 on the river. Surely he can't think deep enough to value bet it with the intention of me calling with a worse hand like AK. There are tons of hands that have us beat here, but his line just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me...

[drmcboy]

this... is sort of sexy, if he leads a lot. What worries me is your read seems to be he calls too much, he isn't calling here. If you've seen him leading draws it works for me. unless he has the J I would agree it's almost unthinkable he would bet any made hand here. But then, you say he sucks, maybe he leads twice with 88 after you check the J. Getting too fancy against fish can be a leak.

[Warpe]

I can see how the board texture can make you think he has air...but what made you sure? Or were you?

[Robert]

I think you need a better read here to make this calldown

[gabe]

depends on opponent

[Silly String]

I agree with drmcboy. I think he could flip up 77-TT here or possibly 67s. I personally don't call the river, but I like your play with the appropriate read.

[zenbitz]

I guess if you can do this with 22 or 33, you can do it with AK.

[Fnord]

I like it, even if he has a pair.

[Renton]

I think i'd like this a lot more if villain didn't bet the turn AND river. The fact that he's a bad player makes this situation worse, because he could easily have rags in his hand. The J is a great river card though.

[aislephive]

I think making these calls OOP is going to be a loser in the long run, you're better off betting the flop than trying to induce a bluff without a pair.

[Fnord]

Give the table sucker some action and validate his play.

[bdawg56kg]

RESULTS: CO flipped T7o and I scooped the pot.

What worries me is your read seems to be he calls too much, he isn't calling here. But then, you say he sucks, maybe he leads twice with 88 after you check the J. Getting too fancy against fish can be a leak.

Agreed, but remember I said that I thought he was an overall bad player, which means he is capable of pulling many donk moves. I was getting 4:1 on the river, and I felt that A-high would be good often enough for this to be a +EV call. Leak? Maybe, I'm not saying my play is perfect or correct here.

I can see how the board texture can make you think he has air...but what made you sure? Or were you?

You pretty much answered your own question. Given the board texture and the way the hand played out, I couldn't make any sense of his line.

I think you need a better read here to make this calldown

Like what? That he plays air EXACTLY like this? I think the information was good enough to take a chance that he was bluffing with less than A-high here imo.

I guess if you can do this with 22 or 33, you can do it with AK.

Well 22 is a boat, and I probably would do more than just call down here. :P But sure, I could take this line with 33 if I felt he had nothing.

I think making these calls OOP is going to be a loser in the long run, you're better off betting the flop than trying to induce a bluff without a pair..

Well that's your opinion and I respect it. Read my response to ender's post.

[johnny_fish]

http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/proLessons.php?lesson=33

If, however, I'm holding a decent Ace and miss the flop, I'll usually check. In a short-handed game, Ace-high can win at showdown, and taking a free card gives me a chance to hit my hand on the turn.

Anyone follows this advice? I usually just cbet..