let’s say the preflop-raiser does call and you don’t improve on the turn (no 3,4 or 8). Under what circumstances would you fire a second bullet, and what size bet would it have to be to be?

Note to the person who did – please stop using my handle.

[Ed: I changed it to JJS the Second to differentiate.]

You’re right that the SB doesn’t show particular weakness by checking to the raiser, and you’re right that the check would show more weakness if it came after the raiser.

But I still think the bluff is profitable in many situations… a 1/2 pot bet is often enough to do the trick, and it needs to work only 1/3 of the time to be proftiable (though just because it’s profitable doesn’t mean it’s the best play).

But many people check to the raiser with both weak and strong hands and so SB’s displayed weakness in this hand is not as great as it could be. (Say UTG raises, MP calls, you call, flop goes check check.)

I agree with what Deryl said. Small pairs play well against tight preflop ranges because they are more likely to flop top pair and overpairs, the most common hands to pay off sets big. Small pairs also play well against players who are super loose postflop, whether they are tight or loose preflop. Small pairs play poorly against players who are loose preflop, but smart postflop, because they don’t have a 2nd best hand often enough.

Deryl:

Hard to say exactly what I’d do if he fired on the flop… especially if he hung something weak out there. Really depends on the players. But there’s a decent chance I’d float this flop against some people, despite the 3rd party.

whodatdare:

I’m folding to a checkraise almost for sure. I have no implied odds on my hand and a checkraise would imply that I don’t have enough fold equity to continue either.

What’s your play if fires out on the flop? Is his range so tight that you just dump it?

PF, if this players range doesn’t change, but he’s more likely to cbet, does that change your play at all?

Typically you need your opponent to have a hand in order to pay you off. A loose player will more frequently not have a hand. Tight players are going to start with a made hand (like AA) a higher percentage of their starting hands and they are more likley to hit top pair with their starting hand (as opposed to loose player who will hit middle and bottome pair). These are hands that pay you off.

Why? Aren’t loose players more likely to pay off big because they call with lesser holdings?