Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject: Calling down second pair
One area of my game I have worked hard on and am happy with is value betting medium and low strength holdings. This hand I decided to try and "value call" my medicore hand. Not sure if it makes sense.
1/2 Limit Holdem
5 players
Converted at weaktight.com
Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 5 players) Hero is UTG Hero raises, CO calls, 3 folds
Not a huge fan of K10o - UTG 6 handed I fold it and 5 handed I open for a raise.
I have played 68 hands vs CO. He has VP$IP of 57%, PF raise of 30% and I notice he has cold called at least twice before. He usually bets when checked to heads up.
The most common hands I find weak players cold calling bets with are low pocket pairs and Ax. Against one of these I am in very good shape and against the other very bad shape. I figure that if I bet or check raise there is a decent chance of him folding a low pocket pair with A and K on board. I check and call down, hoping to induce bluffs, and hoping that he "value" bets pocket pairs or a weaker king, if he does indeed hold this.
I avoid the scenario of having to call raises with a weaker hand (e.g. an ace or when a draw comes in) . I will however lose some value bets in certain scenarios. Also, the pot is fairly small so I don't need to worry too much about losing what is in it.
I feel that because of number of draws on board I am likely to take this hand to showdown. However, the pot is small so it may be hard to call semi-bluff raises with this mediocre holding - I prefer to avoid this by calling.
Possible donk bet here, just to make sure I extract some value from a low pocket pair, 8 or weaker king. I can assume he would not raise without a strong hand given that several draws have come in. I think check calling is fairly weak on the river considering it now.
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