$1/2NL effective stacks of $200 for all players

MP fish limps $2
Hero on Button Raise to $8 w/ A3
SB folds
BB calls $8
fish folds

$20 pot Heads Up to the Flop J6T
BB checks; Hero bets $11; BB calls

$40 pot Turn 6
BB checks; Hero checks

$40 pot River 6
BB checks...

Now as to why I played the hand the way I did. I raised on the button to isolate the sole fish limper who has proven to give up easily post flop. Also, both blinds are weak-tight players with one having the nickname "the rock". I only made it $8 as that would be enough to isolate and not build a big pot with a mediocre starting hand at best.

I got isolation; however surprisingly on a weak-tight Blind rather than the fish that folded out. Irregardless, it is about the same spot I wanted to be in, if not better as I know the weak-tight's range a bit better.

I C bet on the flop that I might normally check against a more aggressive player, but this player could lay down quickly. However, I get a call.

Now here is where I get good info. The 2nd six hits the board and weak-tight player gives me the "i don't like the look of that card" face and the hesitation before checking. This tells me with much more certainty that he is on a draw and really wants the free card. I'd say 80%+. However, not knowing what draw he is on (flush plus various straight combos) along with the possibility that he does have a monster and was throwing a fake tell, I oblige and give him the free card planning a river bet if a non-scare card hits. (Also don't forget these types of players will check-call down big hands too). So better to keep the pot smaller if I am making a mistake.

The 3rd six on the river obviously changes the dynamics of the hand. Mr. Weak-tight checks it to me again. At this point I am over 90% sure he was on a draw that missed and I am ahead with my lone ace. However, I am in the classic situation where many players make a mistake. If I bet the river, I am only getting called by better hands (and therefore losing more money) and I am making all worse hands than mine fold (not gaining any more money). There is a very small exception range of AKcc and AQcc that MIGHT fold here. I decide to check it down and show my ace rag which takes it down.

I had been playing a tight game image up until that point, only showing hands the hands when I had it, and able to pull off some good bluffs. Here is my question I pose to you - would it be +EV in situations like this to throw a value river bet getting the opponent to fold to maintain your image? Or would you rather just adjust your game going forward and not risk the extra bet?

check

Just check, all the draws missed so your A high does have some amount of SDV.

If your landlord will accept your rent in the form of table image, throw a bet out there.

Damn. I missed my rent payment this week. Now I owe a full months worth of table image plus two orbits of maniac.

You have some impressive, high level thinking going on that I like...

the only problem is I think/fear you may be leveling yourself a little bit.

My spidey sense tells me that you don't fully understand the mindset of your villains.

At this level, your villains are going to be level 1 fish incapable of adjusting to what they see. They may talk a good game, huff and puff, but when all is said and done they still just play level 1.

The biggest mistake thinking players like you make is that you inadvertently transpose your own thoughts and biases to your villains enabling you to level yourself.

The reason I would rarely raise with A3o in 1/2nl is because at 1/2nl my villains are never going to fold their weaksauce top pair or medium pairs to my bets that "rep" a solid line. They will put me on AK or "whatever" hand they can beat and just call me down. Which is why my play at 1/2nl tends to be more value oriented.

From a pure math standpoint though, we can raise virtually ATC from the BTN vs one caller, c-bet post flop and be profitable if they will fold on whiffed boards. IN this case with the Ace high, the preflop raise isn't terrible, its meh. Post flop play is fine though.

And to answer your question. Never make a play at 1/2nl for the sake of "image" simply because image is not worth a whole lot at that level. Now don't get me wrong, we can make plays that utilize our image, absolutely. But that is DIFFERENT than making a play to foster an image.

one of the biggest mistakes at LLSNL is that players want a certain image or they feel they can create a certain image.

No.

Fish see what fish want to see. And your skills are better utilized figuring out what your image is in the eyes of the fish and then EXPLOITING that image, not the image you want to have but rather the image you have in the eyes of the fish...

that is a valuable skill that a lot of thinking players do not have because they are so focused on seeing their own image as a function of how they have been playing. When in reality, the fish see what they want to see.

For instance, there is this player I play against who never ever EVER folds to me because I bluffed him out of a $3k pot a year ago. Since then, we've played about 12 sessions together and I've yet to bluff him again, but he still sees me as a "wild LAG donk" and he calls me down 100%. So how much good would it do me to try to foster an image? It is much better that I adjust to the image he has of me is it not?

Food for thought

Gold.

You know you've done good when dgi replies. Welcome to the layer cake, son.

You are beat ... check it here. Weak-Tight will call your bet with any Jx/Tx .. not worth hanging your hat on him thinking you have Tx here. Only way to win this hand was to continue on the Turn when the board paired. You thought that this guy was on a draw .. you have nothing ... take it down with a nice double barrel.

These players will see your Turn check as a 'give up' and c/c most Rivers with any J or T IMO ... especially when the 3rd 6 shows on the River. You may still get called on Turn and be forced to check back River since they wont bet into a paired board but you have a better chance at winning the hand with a double barrel than you do with a thin 'value' bet on the River IMO.

Your thought process is very nice to see (ala digi) but you have to remember that at 1-2 most of that is too far out there for anyone to grasp or you need to be a reg against a reg. GL

Not bad, though american dad did it first.

OP: DGI and other's entirely true observations about image notwithstanding, i don't see how having to show this hand down really effects your image much one way or the other.

You opened a weak ace (and opened it kind of small to boot) otb, then cbet heads up otf. Its not like you cold 4! 63o from middle position. If theyre really reading enough into that kind of milktoast aggression to change the way they play against you based on it, then theyre overcorrecting and you can find better spots to mislead them.

Thank you dgi. I never stopped to 'think' about my image from a fish's perspective; rather just trying to think how I am making the most profitable plays on my own self-image.

I will try to stay more value-focused in my thought process. At least until I can build up enough of a bankroll to enter the rest of the world of thinking players.

http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=Iiv...w&p=n#/555;657

watch this OP... spot on analogous spot

nice watch. And I would agree in HU that info is much more valuable!

Yep, check back. It sounds like you were just embarrassed.