The Power of the Check to Set a Trap in Tournament Poker

How to Set a Trap with a Check

On the Flop

Image by slworking2 via Flickr

One play that you should consider is to check when you flop top pair heads-up and act last. While it is risky, the reward can be a bigger win. Of course, this is a play that should be limited to flops that are not coordinated since giving a free card could cost you the pot.

And the play works even better when you are up against an aggressive player.

Example:

You have A♠-J♥. It is the middle of the tournament. You have $38,000. The blinds are $400-$800. A player in the middle position, with $45,000, raises to $4,000. You call on the cut-off. Everyone folds. It’s heads-up. The pot is $9,200.

The flop is A♣-8♦-6♥. Your opponent checks his hand. What should you do?

Check as well. It is true that your opponent could have a straight draw, but take a chance.

In fact, your opponent’s big pre-flop raise may indicate that he has a medium pocket pair that he was trying to protect. So if he has pocket Jack’s, your bet on the flop will get him to fold. However, the check may give him the green light to make a play for the pot on the turn.

On the Turn

If you've been watching the WSOP, you will also notice that a lot of players with top pair bet the flop and check the turn. So in the above example, you would bet when your opponent checks. Since your opponent may think you are trying to take the pot away from him, he calls with those pocket Jacks. He doesn't want to laydown 2nd pair in case you are bluffing.

When the turn is a another rag, he will check to you. If you bet, he will surely fold. If you check behind him, you are going to be paid off on the river. That is because he will either bet into you thinking you are weak. Or, if he checks, he will call your river bet for the same reason.

I realize that this is not going by the book. However it is a play you should consider. Try the check on the turn. It will work. I've done it. The key is not to become addicted to it, or you will start to get too fancy in your play.

Suggestion:

Just remember that these trap plays are against a single opponent, and sometimes they come back to bite you when you give a free card. However you will find that as your opponents have gotten more aggressive, you have opportunities to trap them with top pair by the power of a check.

Poll: Results to How Often You Bluff

In a poker tournament, how often do you bluff with nothing and win (exclude continuation bets)?

0-5%: 35%
5-10%: 38%
10-20%: 17%
20-40%: 7%
Over 40%: 0%

Thanks for participating in the poll.

I think I was surprised that players actually bluff 20-40% excluding continuation bets. Maybe these were raises before the flop as steals? If not, I wonder how successful these players are with these moves.

The 10-20% seems like an aggressive player to me--which is good or bad depending upon your spots.

I think 10% and under is more like what I expected to answer; probably because I fall into that range.

Bluffing

As to bluffs. I tend to view all-in moves at the pot with big bets on the river as either the nuts or a total bluff. While I tend to view all-in moves on the flop as a flush draw.

One play that has worked online for me is when I hit a set on the flop, and the flop comes with two cards to a flush, I will check raise an opponent all-in. I make this move when I am fairly certain my opponent has a premium starting hand (based on the pre-flop raise and table image) because it looks like a bluff.

Are there bluff plays, that anyone would like to share? Or, would you prefer to keep these a secret.

Thanks.

-Mitchell