When to just call ?

[Talking Poker]

What game are you playing? Because that depends too. In short handed limit, I do VERY LITTLE calling preflop, very little on the flop, a bit more on the turn, and plenty on the river (it takes a pretty big hand to throw a raise in on the river).

NL is a completely different animal though, and I think that's what you were asking about.

[omahilo]

okay I have a different question...

This might sound weak on my part and this is apart of my game I want to improve.

Okay lets I have AT on the button (for sake of postion being key here)... It folds to me, I raise it up and get one caller.

The flop comes 2TJ and he checks to me and I check behind (or could fire a CB out) the turn brings a blank... he bets and I raise him, he calls... then on the river he checks and I check.

Is there a time when I want to raise on the turn IN ORDER to check it down on the river and get to showdown? obviously getting to showdown is easier when you have position.

Im wondering if this is a weak play or what...

Sometimes I like to raise the turn on a hand I think more times than not is ahead but I dont want to be bluffed out of the hand so I like to get to showdown.

What is your opinion on this?

PS: my example and explanation if this sounds vague but Im sure someone will understand what Im saying.

[Talking Poker]

I'm three tabling right now, so I'm gonna make this quick, but YES, I believe there IS a time when this is the case. I think a better example would be if you had pocket Ts though and the flop came Big-little-little (like K95).

Why? Because this way, if your turn bet turns into a check raise, it's easier to throw away. You probably only have 2 outs. With a hand like AT though, you might have 5, in which case maybe you hsould have taken the free card and hoped to improve.

Make sense? Like I said, quick explanation.... but yes, there definitely are times.

Oh, once again, I'm THINKING limit as I type this - not certain how well it applies to NL without more though, but I suspect the same.

[omahilo]

This is NL for me all the way... I dont play limit HE at all, tourney or cash game.

Also I like your example better. Im sure you will explain more, hopefully Zybomb also throws his opinion on this.

[Zybomb]

I think this relates sort of to my example I gave in the first response to this thread. Say 100/200 blinds again. This time we are the raiser (we'll say to 600) and have position. we'll use TPs example, we have 10 10 and the flop is K,9,3 (rainbow for sake). The problem here is the flop wouldnt go check check, Id CB this 95% of the time I think, so itd play out different... but assuming I did check behind him and the turn brings a blank and my opponent bets out 600 lets say, a normal raise would be to 1800.... or we could call and then probably be faced with a 1200 bet again on the river which we'd call....so we'd spend the same 1800..... in this situation I like a raise though. Bc you have position, the raise allows you to take down the pot right there, and even if you dont, if you are not reraised and just called, 95% of the time he'll check the river and you can check behind him or fire out.... so you'll probably get to showdown for the same price either way, but the raise here gives you a chance of takin it down then and there.......

If its the case I gave in my first response, I think just calling is the smarter move

And also typically in most situations on the river, Im raising only if Im very strong, or making a play.

[Talking Poker]

Regarding this example, I ALWAYS make the CB here. But I answered omahilo's question as he wrote it (the second bold part).