A really good post!! Should be required reading for new players and some experienced ones as well. Keep the good posts coming.
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To be....or not to be.....(a donk)
By RiverTroubleSep 22, 08 10:32 AM
It seems there are a lot of new players that dont seem to understand that playing 4 5 or 7 10 for example in late position every now and again can be a very profitable play. They automatically assum you are a bad player and berate you for being the worst player on the planet when they call with Ace King and lose to your 6 7. Of course, the situation has to be right. for starters, your image has to be one where players are expecting you to play at least semi premium hands, you have to have respect at the table from said players (and they must be smart enough to fold most holdings), but most importantly, the real profit comes when you actually have a caller and your hand hits.
Now, the difference between the good and the bad players when it comes to playing these hands is simple. Good players play these hands in moderation when the situation is right for it (i.e. they are in position and have a sizable stack). Bad players play these hands constantly with no regard to their own image or the odds their hand will hit on the flop. In addition, these players do not know when to give up the hand when it is obvious ( or should be) that they are behind. You cant get someone to fold Ace king when Ace king flops no matter how much you continuation bet with your unsuited rags.
When playing these hands its important to be in position, be ready to represent any face card that flops with a continuation bet, but most importantly be ready to fold when you meet strong resistance. Just a flat call to your bet does not necessarily mean they have that face card that hits the flop. for example, you raise with 5 6 suited on the button with blinds at 150 300 to 900......you get 2 callers and the flop comes 2 8 queen. Both players check to you.......what do you do? Of course there are factors to consider like the timing of their check ( was it instant or slow ) but in most cases you can safely represent that queen. You do have to assum they have a hand of some sort, otherwise they would not have called out of position to that raise, but their range is wide at this point. They could have king ace, ace jack, any pocket pair below a queen etc. A raise of 2800 to 3000 would be correct to see where you are at. Why? simple.....there is 3150 in the pot already ( the blinds plus the 2 callers and your 900). any raise less than that and any good player will know you are full of it ( or uaware of proper betting tecniques....ill save that for another blog) A raise this size makes it incorrect for any drawing hand to call, giving them bad pot odds. Most of the time you will take the pot down right here and if you do get reraised it is almost an instant fold (unless you know they are capable of reraise bluffs) because it is safe to assum they actually have that queen. If they just flat call, depending on your read and the turn is a blank, and they check again, I would usually move in at this point to make it extreamly difficult for a drawing hand to stay in the pot for one card.
Just remember, it takes a lot of heart to be able to execute these types of bluffs when your tourney is on the line....and practice. It is very important to know your opponents, and they have to be capable of folding. New players wont fold drawing hands and they will hit sometimes so dont get mad at them when they do. Its all just another day at the office. Keep in mind the next time you get beat by 5 7 suited and call him or her the donk.....they may be thinking the same about you for not giving up those pocket queens. Good luck at the tables....see you there!
Yoggik
I liked your post &agreed w\ 99% of it, quite logical & fundamentally sound.
The one thing some people forget is that on an AJ1010 board & you know they've hit their A with a 9-2, that me holding KJ can re-raise all-in bluffing with the 10's but with a Q out for broadway & not be a "donk".
I think a lot of people who get beat on the in this situation will call someone a "donk" because they don't think about the "bluff factor" only that they lost.
my 0.00002 c/ \/