A Countering Play

I’m mostly an exploitive strategy player, meaning I focus on obtaining edge by exploiting any opponent’s weaknesses. I play mostly mid-stakes live games and find that my opponents tend to have leaks that can be situationally exploited. That fact makes a quality exploitive strategy superior to a systematic strategy. While I understand game theory has many positive applications, particularly against good quality adversaries or when multi-tabling on the internet, quality exploitive play performs better against weak-moderate ability opponents.

In a $2-$5 no-limit hold’em game, $720 deep, I raised an open-limper to $30 with the 8 8. The button, about $1,100 deep, a loose caller who played well postflop, flatted me, both blinds folded as did the limper. About $70 in the pot.

I nailed the flop, the J 8 7, giving me second set on a draw-heavy board. I fired $45 and was called by Mr. Button. $160 in the pot.

The 3 turned. I contemplated my best play. Mr. Button had been taking off lots of hands preflop with position and calling the flop light in many spots when a preflop raiser continuation bet, as I had. Then he always bet the turn if checked to. He’d made that play on me earlier in the session when I whiffed a flop and wasn’t privy to the fact he was utilizing that strategy. It’s a good play that often picks up the pot when the continuation bettor has a weak hand.

I wanted to both exploit that tendency and make him wary of executing the play on me again. When you suspect an opponent is making a given play against you, creating a counter-play adds additional value when it’s likely to inhibit him from implementing the play in the future.

If I checked, I believed Mr. Button would fire with all the weak hands he called the flop with, as well as all the legitimate hands and draws in his range. However, if I bet, he would fold his weak hands, call with his significant draws, and call or raise with his big hands.

I thought it unlikely he held J-J because he probably would have three-bet on the button. I was beat by 10-9. Mr. Button might have 7-7, A-J, K-J,Q-J, J-10 or J-9, but if I bet and he called, he wouldn’t call the river with the weaker portion of that range. Since he’d be betting both his value-betting range, plus his weak-hand range as bluffs if I checked, I’d likely get equal value from his calling range but additional value from his weak-hand folding range. If I check-raised, he’d call with his good hands and draws, be situated into a tough spot with his median-value textured hands including some value-hands with gutters, and be forced to fold or make a bad call with his naked gutters and air.

I knuckled, and Mr. Button fired $105. I check-raised to $300, and he insta-mucked. I believe I made an extra $105 from check-raising the turn rather than betting. I don’t think there was much downside to my play, and there were very few scenarios where I gained from leading. I also gained value from the fact that the play would likely stick in his mind the next time I continuation bet. I did continuation bet in a similar situation later, and he mucked, but I couldn’t be sure how much his play was influenced by my check-raise.

You need to be aware of your opponents’ tendencies and design plays that exploit those tendencies. Effectively realizing the value of those opportunities is a huge part of optimizing your value in no-limit. If you don’t, you are giving up a huge edge to those who do, an edge you may not even realize you are giving up.

In this situation I recognized that Mr. Button was preflop calling frequently with position and then frequently calling high percentage continuation bettors postflop with weak holdings, then betting whenever checked to on the turn. It’s a good play, though one that is easily exploitable. In this situation, I held a good hand and check-raised, though I could also just call some of my good hand situations and check-raise or double barrel with some draws and bluffs.

Executing those plays will take away some, maybe even all of the value of the play. And when you do, you gain edge. Edge you’ll be taking to the bank! ♠

Roy Cooke played poker professionally for 16 years prior to becoming a successful Las Vegas Real Estate Broker/Salesman. Should you wish any information about Real Estate matters-including purchase, sale or mortgage his office number is 702-376-1515 or Roy’s e-mail is [email protected]. His website is www.RoyCooke.com. Roy’s blogs and poker tips are at www.RoyCookePokerlv.com. You can also find him on Facebook or Twitter @RealRoyCooke. Please see ad below!