Raising to Induce
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $6 BB (2 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerSavvyPlus.com
Hero ($1078.40)
BB ($2126.95)
Preflop: Hero is Button with 7s, 9c.
Hero raises to $18, BB calls $12.
Flop: ($36) 2c, 2d, 6h (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.
Turn: ($36) 7h (2 players)
BB bets $24, Hero raises to $80.6, BB raises to $185, Hero calls $104.40.
River: ($406) 4s (2 players)
BB bets $305, Hero calls $305.
Final Pot: $1016
Results in white below:
BB has Qd Js (one pair, twos).
Hero has 7s 9c (two pair, sevens and twos).
Outcome: Hero wins $1016.
There was a bit of history here, in that Villain had seen me check back the flop and then raise with a turned draw, and he was generally firing quite often when I didn’t continuation bet. Generally the hands I’d shown down after checking the flop were what you’d expect: medium-strength stuff like middle pair that I was playing for pot control/bluff catching. The problem with just calling with this hand is that it’s very vulnerable and at this point in the match, Villain is going to put me on essentially what I have. He can value bet virtually every hand better than mine and also bluff sometimes, generally making the river neutral-EV at best for me if I just call turn. Raising, however, protects my hand is is more likely to be misinterpreted by Villain.