The ole cold-call trick.
Author: Jim
I’m not big on cold-calling to be frank. Usually, you’re better off either folding or raising if there’s a bet and a raise in front of you. Here’s a pretty rare opportunity that made sense to cold call.
I have 10
8 in middle position and call a PF raise to 13, the BB comes along. 3 players to the flop.
Flop: J9
2
The BB leads out for 30, the PF pumper makes it 70 and I call 70 cold with just a tiny little hesitation…
OK now, a few things are working in this hand:
- The BB can lead out with a wide range of hands from a medium pair to top set.
- The PF raiser probably has a big hand here, either an over-pair, a set or top two.
- I’m not known as a fisherman, usually if someone bets and the pot odds aren’t right, I’m gone.
- There’s no flush draw on the board (very important).
- My cold call behind a raise from a big hand screams BIG BIG hand which might even get me a free card.
- I’m drawing to the likely nuts.
- The pot is looking juicy with some likely big investors.
- It’s very unlikely a 3-bet on the flop will win me the pot.
- If it’s raised and re-raised again behind me, it’s time to put the GAMBOL hat on. I’m going to the river with only about 300 left in front of me.
…action resumes… donk bettor thinks a little, is clearly uncomfortable in the hand and only calls.
Turn: A
Check, check, whoohoo! I check.
River: 7 what a glorious card.
Original donk better bets 50. PF raiser grudgingly (and wisely) folds. I make it 200 and, in one of my nice-guy moments, I tell the guy it’s early and he just got there (was his first hand), no need to get crazy. If I don’t say anything, I get paid the whole way. He folds what he claims was a set of 2s and a clearly painful decision.
April 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I’m so excited - it’s rare that I hand I’m involved with you in gets mentioned! On top of that, I managed to avoid being called a donk and even got lauded for “wisely” getting the f out of the way!
April 20th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Donk-betting isn’t an insult anymore. It started as one because most good players take the lead in hands in limit (which is where the term started I believe) and hate getting bet into after taking the lead.
It didn’t take long for people to realize donk-betting has some really damn nice benefits.
April 21st, 2009 at 9:48 am
So, donk is a good thing, but donkey is still a bad thing, right? Actually, I’m glad to hear the clarification, because the betting didn’t really seem all that unreasonable to me.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I love ‘donk’ betting, regardless of the connotation. Getting called tighty-whitey, or donkey boy…just means simply you’ve gotten into someone’s head. Regarding the hand, liked they way you played it Jim. You had position, the least appreciated aspect of the game. The raise to 70 screamed overpair, or possibly AK. Your call froze everyone. Tough to know if that person had set of deuces. If they did, the better play may have been a check call on the river in my opinion.
They other thing worth mentioning is that you mentioned no flush draw on board. If that turn comes our the Ace of Clubs, do you treat the hand differently (ie. do you a fire out a bet on the turn to take it down there)?
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I play it the same even with a club draw on the turn. At least I hope I would. I really don’t think anyone is going anywhere on the turn.
I don’t know about check-calling on the river. You miss value from a lot of hands that will check through. It’s also a blocking bet against a set of 9s and maybe Js. And if he had checked to me on the river, I think I’m putting out 100-150.
April 24th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I don’t disagree with you on checking the turn if the A clubs comes out…was just curious.
In this particular case true, a lead out bet is not wise by set of 2s (because you DID have the straight), however, I don’t think a set of 9’s or J’s is checking the turn around, do you? Also, by checking the set of deuces on the river, you’re inducing a possible ’steal’ by the guy in position if he happened to be on a flush draw (on the turn) or higher straight draw (say they had Q,10).
Maybe it’s just the new game I’m playing in up here, but lots of guys like to bluff if they whiff the river. And I do like catching them then. But again…Mank’s game and the way these guy play up here are night and day!
April 24th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
I follow, my point is more along these lines:
In this hand do you think you’re getting more value from a) a worse hand bets and you call or b) a worse hand calls your bet.
Especially with the odd way the hand played out, I think b) is the best choice. Add to that: I think you could also get called in two places if you bet. It’s somewhat likely it gets checked around if you check.
I’m leaning towards betting for value. Checking if there’s a seat you want to rope-a-dope. Yeah, bet.