Donk Bets??!!??

[derekeverett]

I think I need some clarification on donk bets. I understand what they are, and they certainly have set me off on a few occasions.. but I don't really understand when they are a good idea and when they aren't..

Also, is it just considered "rude"?

I have seen several videos where the hero doesn't like the villain donk betting and it's cause for an instant re-raise.. I'm not sure I understand what that's about exactly. Having said that.. they do make me feel the same way, I just don't understand why.

[Hoopy]

People get pissed off/panic when they don't have a chance to cbet because that's what they are used to doing.

When they are good to use depends on your opponent/board texture/stack size/ actual hand. In general don't lead into an unknown with a hand that you have no idea what to do with vs a raise.

[daviddem]

Two things I have noticed:
1) Donk bets are often not strong (draws, second pair, etc) or are often from hands that "need a lot of protection" (low top pair, low overpair, set on a monotone board or super wet board, low flush on a monotone board, etc). The second variety tends to be bigger bets than the first.
2) Some opponents pick up on the fact that I am mostly tight and straightforward, and they start (semi-)bluff donk betting me because they realize they have fold equity on a lot of boards. Not sure if it's a coincidence, but it is my impression that it has been happening more often recently.

[unclesteve]

Also, is it just considered "rude"?.

hahahaahahahahahahahahahaha

[unclesteve]

but yeah, like david says, donkbets are usually a sign of a marginal holding, that will often fold to a rasie, or fold on later streets if you float.

Personally I'm still never sure of when it's correct to donk bet so I tend not to, at the lower stakes where dudes tend to cbet too much there's usually much more to be said for c/ring.

[derekeverett]

So is the theory then that some players instinctively are trying to get you to fold your hand before you have a chance to c-bet? Likely cause they have a draw and they want to get to the next card without having to make any big decisions?

I'm starting to get it.. not sure it makes a lot of sense though.

[!Luck]

Best way to really get it is post a hand and go from there.

!luck

[PKKFW]

Probably showing my donk status but what is a donk bet?

[unclesteve]

When you take the lead, usually on the flop agasint the PFR.

for example, if you open the BTN, I flat BB, and I lead, by betting the flop before you have a chance to continuation bet, this is a donk bet.

[PKKFW]

Thanks.

[StarGrinder]

A good situation to donk bet is when you hit a strong hand and there's a good chance the pf raiser will pump it up allowing you to stack him. Another could be as a bluff vs a weak tight player on a low flop because he'll fold all his unpaired over cards. These are just generalizations though.

[rpm]

i like donk betting flops with some of the weaker parts of my flop range when i've flatted a steal in the blinds versus a wide range. i prefer to have some kind of read on how villain responds to donk-bets though. some people auto-raise them 100%, other people play very straightforwardly (thus folding a heap because their range is so weak). i obviously am looking to donk-bet bluff vs the latter player.

[Nekrogovner]

Donkbetting is a great idea vs a super aggressive villain who will surely reraise you. Ofc you should have a top hand for that, like a set... Might be also good vs weak TAGs that have probably missed flop, or vs unknowns to tilt them a bit.

[Razvan729]

i took a week off poker last week... played very little... i lost a lot of money and dropped to 5 nl again after i finnaly got at 25nl by end of march... and i lost the money playing the same way i made them. in this week off i reviewed all hands, the one that gave me a BR for 25nl and the ones that made me lose the 25nl BR. my conclusion was this: made BR by positive variance+ playing bad and having luck and i lost the money by negative variance+ playing bad and no luck. i did the math and in my losing run the negative variance was about 85$ which is not a lot at all. the rest of 215$ lost was bad play, and not at all stacking off in bad spots, but i did so many donkbets, raising, chasing in bad spots that they added up and made lose so much money. i did all automatic w/o thinking.

posted all that as argument for my thinking and for my conclusion. this is what i wanna say now:

every time it's our turn to act, we have multiple options: fold,check, call, bet, raise and we have to choose the most profitable action for us! so if you wanna donkbet, dont do it automatic, do it if and only if doing this will make you money and this depends on villain/ board texture/ our hand/ size of the bet/ our image .

P.S. am writing all this cause i really wanna believe that at least i learned something by losing those money and all my 6 moths of up and downs, losing/winning, changing playing style,adapting, trying new things were not in van. hopefully this learning would bring me more money then i lost in the long run so, every time you act, choose a profitable play, no matter what that is, if folding make's you money, then fold it


just hope i didnt sound like a jackass with this post