Villain is late 30's asian guy who thinks he is the table and maybe even room captain. He has a huge stack and uses that to his advantage. I have played with him before and he seems to like to c/r a lot and move people off their hands. He can be tricky, but doesnt have too much gamble in him (compared to other asians in the room).

He just came to the table so if he remembers me its probably TAG image.

Hero ~$260
Villain covers

Folds to Villain
Villain in LJ raises to $12
Hero OTB calls $12 with KQo

Flop ($27)
KT3

Villain checks
Hero checks

Honestly this is to setup later streets as I know Villain may try to bluff me off the hand if I bet weakish. Also I am not trying to inflate the pot so early on, half pot control/half set up. I know if he does have a TPTK or a better hand he will probably lead the turn as he doesnt want to lose value. Basically I feel he will turn his hand face up OTT.

Turn ($27)

9h

Villain checks
Hero bets $12
Villain raises to $62
Hero?

I bet $12 because I knew it looked weak. Trust me this is not my value town bet sizing, this is more of a setup bet.

Thoughts on hand thus far? Does anyone like always bet the flop? If he c/r on flop do we continue? Anything else?

Be less concerned with setup, and more with value.

I didn't hate the flop check to start with but I think he's going to be c-betting all his air hands on the flop or live draws so I would definitely bet for value. It's also an easy bet as you can happily call a check-raise and call down/bet for value as appropriate.

As played, I'd still size your turn bet bigger, you're just losing so much value when he calls or raises with worse, which it sounds like he will do a bunch. Given his description, you have an easy call/call most rivers.

I actually like your flop check here against this villain.

But when he checks the turn I'm kinda lost. I think you have two choices: assume he's got less than nothing and follow through with the plan and check again to induce. Or switch gears since the plan isn't coming together and now bet for value, $20-24.

You kinda split the difference which put you in a sticky spot.

I was thinking a value or psb but I wanted to look weak so he would raise me. I knew he loved c/r so I wanted to give him a chance. $62 was maybe a little more than I though he would go, but right around the area of where it should be.

So is the question do you make more calling down or re-raising?

I'm guessing that was poda say calling or re-raising.... but essentialy the heart of post is that. Call or re-raise (or do we fold ever)? Guess I should of added that to the question list. Had like 4 hands I was trying to post up around the same time.

[ninja edit heh]

I love inducing bets. Inducing raises gives me the willies. I'm a bit out of my comfort zone here.

But if the plan was give him rope to c/r, and he c/r, then no, we aren't folding.

If you get exactly what you want and then don't know what to do with it, maybe it's not what you need.

This is a rough spot. Betting the flop and calling a c/r is a little dangerous on a moist board. The turn either completes or brings a lot of draws, and this villain may be willing to go to town. KQ with this stack size seems like a good hand for picking off some bluffs or weaker Kings, but not much else.

Are you willing to stack off with top pair, second kicker? If not, as played, fold the turn. Since you bet so little, it might be a good play. You tried to trap, but your hand isn't strong enough. Any made hand on the turn is killing you (You beat only KJ and AT), and there's so much more to draw that a river could be value or bluff.

This guy is a regular, and you play with him a lot. You took a swing and connected, but he's still up and fighting. He wins this round. Live to fight another day. You're out of this one cheap. Use this hand to set up a future hand where your holdings are a lot stronger.

I knew what I was going to do, was just wondering if anyone thought this was good line and if calling or raising was better in the grand scheme. Good response though even if I dont agree whole heartedly. Maybe in the long run this is spew and maybe it should always be to go to vtown or fold. Been trying to implement a few small tricks into my game at this level to get more value. Im not going to go out of my way to be a trickster every hand but I think there are some good ways to squeeze some more value at a level thats hard to get tricky with.

I don't mind the check back on the flop. But, if your going to take an unconventional line, have a plan for your hand. It seems like you wanted to induce a c/r with your hand. You kind of succeeded. It looks really weak and seems like your unwilling to play for stacks. So, if this is your plan, you have just succeeded and should call and most likely call a river bet depending on the card.

The key to playing tricky or taking unconventional lines is having a plan for your hand and anticipating your opponent's reaction to it. If you don't do this, you just put yourself in tough/marginal spots. You might as well play the hand using a conventional line like betting flop.

Hero calls $50

River ($151)
4

Villain checks
Hero?

Just because I sound like I know what I'm talking about, doesn't mean I actually do. I'm bouncing ideas around, that's all.

The river hasn't changed anything.

You've put in nearly a third of your stack. To make a bet and fold to a check-raise is a severe mistake. Are you willing to play for it all? If so, bet. If not, check. I'm inclined to check, as I don't foresee villain paying off with much that I beat, but I can see him trying to get cute with a second check-raise. You don't really beat a lot of hands, and the hands you do beat won't call much.

Well, it seems like you have the best hand. I doubt he is checking with the nuts or even a better king once he c/r you on the turn. He's either given up or has some weak showdown hand that he turned into a bluff. However, I'm willing to think that weird lines like c flop, c/r turn means that his range is polarized between air/semibluffs and strong made hands. I don't think many players at this level actually do this with KQ or AK or worse kings. Therefore, I don't think he is calling your bet with worse and most likely has given up.

This may be a leak in my game (not value betting rivers enough), but I would check behind and find out what he has.

I'm happy to jam this river and think he can get here with stuff like TJ/AT/J9 and can definitely call you. Some people will check turned 2p or even QJ on this river but it doesn't sound like this villain is good enough to.

I think he has a bit more than a PSB - so possibly $90 bet gets value from JT/AT/J9.

lead out like 100 bucks, although it looks like he was just bluffing hes prob foldin anyway.

edit: now that i think about it, i might just check behind i don't see him paying us off, and what are we doing if he shoves us we'd always be beat. he may have JQ

also, i woulda bet the flop.

I completely agree with this.

Did u check the flop to 'shorten' the hand or b/c ur afraid of getting blown off TP2ndK?

Also, why not 3bet PF? ~$30 would set up a great spot for TP post flop.

edit:for some reason i thought you had king 9 for 2 pair. im def checkin this riv now.

checked to under rep to a chronic c/r'er. it was a set up check to induce a bluff OTT to safe cards. 9 wasn't the safest card in the world but it wasn't that bad for me either.... or so I thought

Villain checks river
Hero.... checks???? WTF... Forgot to think beyond the turn. I guess inside I went back to nitting it up and said the same ole' thing I always say to myself, "What calls a river bet that I beat here." I am weaning myself away from that horrible thought process.

Villain shows AQ

Hero wins, but plays the river very badly IMO.

Word.

Really? Does he call any river bets? Or do you just think that he check/shoves with air enough times to make it +EV?

If I am going to under rep my hand on the flop and then call a c/r I feel its almost criminal to not bet something try to get value out of QQ,JJ or any other pair. I think we must bet the river when we feel we have the best hand like always.