Keeping up the facade

[Fjaman]

How long do you keep up the continuation bluff?
I try to bet strong before(3 or 4x BB) and after the flop(60%-70% of the pot) with strong hands but more often than not you miss the flop, then if someone call should you automaticly give up the hand or should you fire another barrel?

Sidequestions: Is it profitable to call a small raise with A-x suited?

(shorthanded 50NLTH)

"Luck is more often than not the result of a lack of aggression"

[PokerPatNEU]

I will continue against 1 opp with strong hands all day long. If more than 1 see the flop with you, don't waste money continuing, someone is going to call or raise you. If you have AKo and raised to 3-4bb pre flop, and the flop comes rags, fire out a 60% continuation bet every time. If you get called or raised, slow down. But the amount of pots you will take down just from the fold equity you gain by showing authority pre flop will cover the times that your continuation bets get called and you have to fold on later streets.

The most important reason to keep up your continuation bets is to protect it for when you ACTUALLY make a hand. Say you raise QQ 4x BB in MP. Button calls you with Ax suited. Flop comes AQrag, you continue, he raises, you wind up taking much moneys from him. Continuation bets are profitable for fold equity + getting paid when you make hands. Don't stop just because someone check raises you one time, fold that hand and do it again the next time you have a hand worthy of a pre flop raise. It's not a facade, it's a profitable strategy


As for Ax suited, i'll call a raise with it if i have position or there are a lot of callers. Say i'm the SB and UTG raises to 4x BB and there are 3 callers. I will call here just to play for flush draws or miracle AAx flops. The pot odds dictate a call in that spot with almost anything so yes it's profitable to call with Ax suited there as well If you are UTG+1 and UTG raises to 4x BB...I let it go without a read on him being too loose. If you're on the button Ax suited can play for a small raise against 1 opp if the stacks are deep and you think you can take a lot off him if you make a hand.