Raising for a free card question?

Question

If any information is left out it's on purpose; I'm curious about this situation in virtually any setting (cash game or tourney, as the big stack or small stack, etc.). Here are the parameters I will give:

1. Image of a semi-loose aggressive player, but generally not a stone cold bluffer (although pretty frequently semi-bluffs). However, conservative; prefers to get involved in smaller pots.

2. No limit texas hold em.

I've been reading Sklansky's theory of poker and am curious about situations when you might raise for a free card. If you have a pretty strong number of outs (saying 2 overs and a straight/flush draw, or an overpair with a straight/flush draw) and you raise for a free card, what do you do if you face a re-raise? Would it make a difference if you were heads up or in a multi-way pot?

Answer 1

In multi-way pots you want to avoid semi-bluffing. It'll put you in a lot of ugly spots where it would have been cheaper to check hoping for a free card or to just simply check fold. In heads up pots you want to continuation bet your preflop raises. This could be considered a semi-bluff if you have a chance to improve your hand, but more often than not you'll be doing it with air. If you face resistance on the flop when cbetting weak holdings be prepared to fold or check fold on the turn.

Now if by raising for a free card you mean semi-bluffing, it's best employed in heads up pots where your fold equity makes the semi-bluff +$ev. It's the same principle used for continuation bets.

As for reraises, there's no set rule for what you do when facing a reraise. What dictates your response will always be situational. Moreover trying to apply a set rule for reraises would be disaster for your bankroll. Generally though you're taking into consideration the pot odds given for the call and the implied odds you have if you make your hand. You should also be using any reads you've picked up on your opponent, although this takes a great deal of skill to apply effectively.

Answer 2

This tactic is more for limit and the thinking is that you want to pay 1 BB on the flop to get a free play on the turn where it's 2BB of course.  You've got a good drawing hand, usually a flush draw and preferably a couple of overcards too, and everyone checks to you on the flop where you're in LP.  So you bet it with several things in mind.  If someone hits on the turn then they may be concerned about a raise from you and check to you where if you miss your hand you get to see the river for free and essentially save 1 BB since the bet is bigger here to call.  Second you're building the pot by betting the flop so if you hit your hand you win more.  Third it sets you up better for not just being a straightforward player and you want to throw wrinkles into your betting patterns that make sense odds wise and this one does.  Things aren't really different if it's one or two or three opponents as the rationale is the same although it's better to be drawing against more opponents of course.

A.J.

http://kingcobrapoker.com

Answer 3

. Image of a semi-loose aggressive player, but generally not a stone cold bluffer (although pretty frequently semi-bluffs). However, conservative; prefers to get involved in smaller pots.

That makes no sense. A semi loose AGRESSIVE player isnt conservative. A conservative player isnt aggressive

PS: missed you, where ya been at?>

Answer 4

this is just me personally, but in no-limit i NEVER purposefully make the play you are discussing, although in the end i may choose to make the play...i think it's a play that should be reserved for limit hold'em, where if you get re-raised it's only one more bet and therefore you can't raise yourself off the draw...but in no-limit, if i am going to raise on a draw, i have to feel like i'm going to win the pot right there, just as if i was making a pure bluff...making the play you are describing is extremely risky in no-limit because your opponent can raise you off the draw and then you will virtually have paid to not find out whether you would hit your draw...now if it happens where i miss on the turn and i get a chance to take a free card i may take it, but i think when you are raising the flop with a draw you should always consider firing another bullet if you miss, rather than just planning to take the free one off