Hi guys,

I recently played the mini main at Run It Up in Reno, and observed that more aggressive/astute/perhaps pros were making tiny, tiny cbets on all boards (at least I think it was all boards,) I admit I was more focused on other things, but did notice that this was a constant default with some players, (never with rec players who were c-betting 1/2 or more post, miss or hit) The pro was usually following on the turn with a large standard bet, depending if the he was continuing or c/r turn, or other lines. This line was taken only HU.

I don't understand the concept (or was it just wierd play?) in betting slightly above a single blind (less than their original bet). Unsure how this denies equity on the wet boards and some semi-wet boards. But I was playing and toying it with it at my local $40 tourney today, and surprised how easily I could get folds, but bet larger to deny equity or bluff stronger, at different stages in the tournament. Not sure if this strategy was used late at RIU, since I busted.

Thoughts anyone? Or am I not on this forum or at this games enough to see this development at these levels.

Hard to give a general answer without being incredibly long-winded.

Post some spots (but please be as specific as possible in identifying stacks, action, board texture, etc.).

25% pot is not just correct but optimal in an infinite number of spots but, again, hard to say in general terms without being tl;dr

I notice you use the term "standard" later in your post. Here's one of your problems--your concept of standard is warped. I don't mean for you to take that personally, it's just prior to GTO concepts being incorporated all poker players were doing the equivalent of golfing with a baseball bat. Hence such notions as 25% pot being "tiny" and bigger bets being "standard" arose.

To give you an example:

https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/1...event-1741343/

As a player who has been golfing with a baseball bat for quite some time, I would have these observations about cbets:
- In smaller live tourneys this 25% cbetting has basically not caught on yet. When I see a 25% cbet in these tourneys I generally look at it almost like a blocking bet. And I have yet to be disappointed.
- In the Senior WSOP last year I got caught by a 25% cbet that I mistook for weakness. The guy had a set and when I raised he shoved. I was on a flush draw with an over and called so thats how I know what he had...
- In high end tourneys and now I'm guessing some mid-stakes I will be taking a different approach on both ends. I have seen it a little where the turn bet seems out of proportion to the flop bet and I have been folding my weaker hands to the turn bet - but look at it as an option to improve while getting the right price
- Up until now, my cbetting has almost been 35% to 40% pot or so (generally I cbet HU what I raised pre-flop). I will consider this new "GTO" approach. But I fear that it will be giving gut shots the right price to call...

I must confess I know so little about GTO, I guess I understand balancing your range, but betting 25% or less of pot and not denying equity so as to balance your range still evades me. But yes Mr Rick, I too have found smaller live these small bets are not in play, and usually are blocker (or feeler) bets. Occasionally with better players, they're strong hands, but as I suspect they are not betting to balance.

I guess in these spots, if you are the c-better and bet small on a wet board, and don't get raised, and the turn is ugly - we check/call or check/fold? I know this is all in a vaccuum but as mentioned I did see this strategy employed quite a bit with different players on different flops.

Well there's your problem. You fear things.

Truly is impossible to say in a vacuum.

Even the simplest of game trees is gonna be bigger (take up more RAM) than an entire blueray movie. That's every single pixel, every single sound, every single glimpse of a tit on screen--still not as complex as even the simplest of game trees.

I'll take the game trees over the tits btw. Cheaper in the long run IMO.