Quote Originally Posted by andy-akb
Jack, do you really want to discourage action so much as to overbet the flop? What are the advantages of betting almost twice the pot as opposed to the pot? How do you react if somebody raises your bet of $1 into a pot of $0.60?
The problem is, my game is really read-dependant. I can't give clear-cut answers because I have no real standard game.. I have a lot concepts and strategies in my head and I vary them depending on my reads. That's why I suck at playing more than two 6-max tables at once.. I get totally disoriented.

That being said.. in my games it is not too uncommon to overbet the pot depending on the situation. I do it, others, thinking players, do it too (at 10NL and 20NL) with good reason. This seems like a classic example of where I would overbet the pot.

You have a hand that is hard to get away from.. top two pair.. but it's very fragile on such a draw-heavy flop with so many people around. If I bet a more standard amount to discourage (or give bad odds to) the chasers, too many of em will probably call.. and there's a real chance someone will hit something, and then what? Maybe they didn't hit? Remember also that if more than one guy calls your 5/6 pot bet, basically all of them suddenly have decent odds to chase.

A big reverse-implied odds situation for you with your top two pair.

I can't readily say when I would bet $2 instead of $1 though.. I think when I have noticed my opponents like to chase a lot, then I'll go higher. Then I'll get 1-2 to call, and I have those beat probably plus I go into the turn on a huge pot and they have like 1/6 (2-edged straight draw) or 1/12 (gut shot) to hit. So basically I overbet the pot here so that I'll be in a situation where I have the best odds - less chasers that have to pay more, instead of in a bad situation - lots of chasers who I've all given good odds to call.

Also consider that there might be a made straight on the flop.. depending on how the table plays, getting a caller might clue you off that he hit something.. if you overraise the pot maybe you get lucky and he'll reraise you and you can easily fold On a tighter table I would probably stop investing money into this pot and fold to aggression (not minbets ofcourse) afterwards.. this is an annoying situation and I'd rather put more money in a pot where I have a better idea of where I stand.


Oh and the river, or in any case if I suspect a "hit" I'd block bet.. the hands that I have beat will fold/call, the ones that beat me raise me. The pot is $5.15 by the river right? So I'd bet around $2 here.

I mean, if you check here.. you might get bluffed out of a better hand. I doubt it in this case, since his raise seems more like a made straight.. but let's say he had AK all along and was chasing a gutshot or hoped for his 6 outs. Finally he hit TPTK, which you have beat. If you check, he thinks you probably missed your straight draw and have nothing, and bets into you. I'm just saying all this is possible. If you bet like $2 here.. he'll atleast call with his TPTK.