Checking Down

skinski · #1 (**permalink**) 12-10-2006, 06:17 PM

Now I'm sure you all have your own opinions on checking down a hand when you've gotten the small stack allin during a tourny . Well I for one am old school , and feel the wisest thing to do is never bet at a dead pot.....here is a fine example of why i feel that way . This happened the other day in a tour game with some huge prizes.....

Ok , so my day was going along pretty good untill some donk really made what I call just your typical bad play at a dead pot . I was sittin with a pretty good chip stack when player 1 went allin at mid position . I had the hooks so I called him with bout two thirds my stack . Right after me player 2 decides he will make the call also. The flop came 8-2-K and I'm naturally gonna check it down....but nooooo , player 2 makes a min. bet so I call . The turn comes another k and I check again....and again this player 2 comes out betting , 300 . Ok , he must have the king so i fold and show my pocket jacks . Lo and behold player 2 has nothin but garbage and tripples player 1 up ! I would have knocked player 1 out..He hits two pair , K's over 8's... Now that had to be one of the sickest plays i saw at my table...

cerberi · #2 (**permalink**) 12-11-2006, 12:56 AM

see it all the time mate,maybe ppl should have to play in begginers tutorial before they are allowed to play on real tables lol, lioke getting a drivers license

Killashandra · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 02:34 PM

Maybe the comment i heard today on a table in a tournament makes that clear:

"why do you check down, you should never check down, you have to take out players"

That kind of person bets on crap!

DangerMouse · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 10:10 PM

Had it happen very recently in a league game I was playing. A very good player is short-stacked and goes all-in, the SB calls him, and I`m on the BB and I call as well. Flop comes J-10-3 rainbow and the SB raises. I actually have middle pair but I decide to muck it (calling would leave me very short stacked and I have to presume he will bet again on the turn).

The SB turns over x-3 and the all-in guy has 77, no help on turn or river for either and the short stack triples up.

This was at a final table, I couldn`t believe it, the guy in the SB picked up a measly few hundred and kept a very dangerous player in the game. OK he gained a few chips but he could easily have gained an extra place in the money.

There are times when it`s right to bet, but the minimum has to be top pair unless there is a considerable side pot to pick up.

tripps · #5 (**permalink**) 12-13-2006, 05:26 AM

Unless you are sure you have the nuts , I feel checking it down in a tourney is always the wisest play when you have the small stack allin .

MrNobody · #6 (**permalink**) 12-13-2006, 06:51 AM

the only other time I would bet a dry side pot is if I have a strong but vulnerable hand. ex: AJo and flop is J59 with two suited cards. It may end up helping the all-in player but I need to protect my hand.
But as for bluffing a dry side pot: total ignorance.

Recently I was the benefactor of such ignorance. I was BB short stack BB was 1,000 I had 1,200. 4 callers. I go all in with K9 all 4 stay in. Flop A92, the first to act raises something like 20k all others fold......he has J6!! my last 1200 turns into 6,000, and from bubbleboy to eventually finishing 3rd. not sure if one of the others would have beat me, but is was nice to be protected by a donk.

scottishlad · #7 (**permalink**) 12-13-2006, 09:06 AM

Happened to me yesterday short stack was allin me and another player called,i hit top pair,then the fool that was next put a big bet in i called and he had nothing at all just wanted me out the hand,well he got a piece of my mind.

Later on in the day similiar thing happened short stack all in i had ace rag and called him the other guy puts in a big raise i think he has the nuts as ive not hit on the flop so i fold to see him turn over j8,j feckin 8 he had not hit the board either,the short stack hadnt hit either but had a king so short stack doubled up and i was left short stacked.Then u say something to these players and they aint got a clue (u talking to me) aghhhh it makes me so angry.

IAmSolitary · #8 (**permalink**) 12-14-2006, 04:51 PM

I agree with Nobody (to a point). Betting the top pair with a lot of draws on the board I agree with in certain circumstances. If I'm a small stack at the FT I would do that because I need to make sure that I have some money to try for the win. If it's just before the bubble (i.e. 10 people in a 100 person total field or so) I would say that a check-down is better. It's more important to bust that bubble than take the pot.

If it's not even close to the bubble then I would say it doesn't really matter. Most likely I'll go for the check-down but it seems less important then.

There are always exceptions

solitary