"Block Bet or Check-Call?" | Phil vs. Solver

[@jesperkristensen5875]

That last bit was most definitely helpful, as I feel you're correct in that it's a trap most players, myself included, fall into. And it applies to a ton of marginal river spots. Great stuff, as always!

[@PhilGalfond]

Thanks, Jesper! I'm so glad you found it helpful. I hear it from so many players, and I even have to remind myself of this one from time to time!

[@emphyriohazzl1510]

Funny how optimal play differ in micro stakes against fishes. So many fishes will value their KQ and KJ on button here (and obviously their Ax but overall they're also very encline to check them back on the flop. Some fishes will check back 100% of the time their unpaired Ax, only the most random and aggressive will bet them. They're also wayyyy less encline to bluff river overall, but they can sometimes value worse kings. Overall it just ends up being a fold except against the ones that are the most encline to play loose preflop and overplay (the majority of "agressive" fishes) and/or bluff.

[@stacanmart]

Hey Phil. Really appreciate your content. Why does the solver only bet quarter pot after the flop? I tend to bet half pot to get worse hands to fold and charge the flush draw. Quarter pot seems like an easy decision for them to stick around.

[@solverapproved]

Something that I have great trouble with as BTN in these situations is what combos bluff the turn and what others check the turn and bluff the river? because everything you cited (QJ, QT, JT and ofc J8s) would be tempted to bluff bet the turn, especially since the A doesn't hit SB's floating range that much.

[@j.sarnak1391]

Thanks Phil. I am noticing that I retain some of your ideas during my sessions. It does wonders for my confidence level when I feel that I understand the spot a bit. I have begun scrolling through your videos after I have spent some time studying to see if I find a video explaining some of spots that I might be struggling with, It really has helped

[@mdognrdog]

That solver is straight-up SHOOK!

[@jondorsey1715]

What if Danny lead out on the flop, then once turn comes A. What would you do there phil. Cause that's a spot that I've encountered so many times and always slightly confused on what to do. 3bet pre OOP K middle middle flop. Lead out based on range with kings being better for me than them Then A comes (and I ain't got one, or just have only the king)

[@Pokerfarhang]

I think opponent could bet 9 or 7 on the flop when checked to but won't turn it into bluff on the river

[@androiyd3233]

Great analysis! I am loving your content keep it up, always great information

[@jaredcarrick3468]

Regardless of what solvers may say, I’m not a big fan of utilizing blocker bets with nutted hands to “bait” my opponent into raising for a couple reasons. The first is that if your opponent knows you have this move in your arsenal, they are more likely to just call the tiny bet with a fairly strong second best hand that you could have gotten WAY more value from. Secondly, when using the blocker sizing with a marginal made hand you would like to get to the showdown cheaply with, you probably have to fold to a huge raise, and the only thing it’s really effective in doing is minimizing your losses when you get called and lose, while missing out on potential value if you are hero called by something worse. Plus, if you utilize the move on a street before the river with a nutted hand and get called, it makes it very difficult to max your value on the river, as your opponent isn’t as priced in SPR wise, plus it pretty much gives away that you have the nuts or effective nuts when you use a blocker sizing on the flop/turn and then BLAST the river trying to max your value.

[@jaredcarrick3468]

And that’s not to mention that the move isn’t that effective as a bluff in today’s modern era of poker, where even rec players know enough about pot odds to know how wide their calling range should be when being laid odds that good.

[@straightup3329]

@@jaredcarrick3468 im feeling nice so I'll explain when blocker bets to "bait" are extremely useful. Imagine a KKQT3 board. Say you have KQo (a boat) and your opponent has AJo. If you bet 3/4 on the river, villain SHOULD only call, because they have like the 8th nuts, however, if you bet 1/3rd on the river, most of the time they will reraise for value, and thats when you can put them in a tough spot with an all-in. Hope that helped.

[@dxfifa]

@@straightup3329 Also, when you don't get raised in that spot, their folds are never calling any bet, and you usually win against hands that would fold to the 3/4 pot bet, and if the opponent isn't raising enough, they may call you and win, hands that they'd also call the larger bet with but not raise. So the only chance of you losing more EV is if villain is bluff raising and you're folding, or only raising to call a jam and you're bluffing at any frequency or value owning yourself

[@jx4479]

Phil is such a great teacher

[@jonathan7117]

Great video. Thank you for sharing this with us. Phil, in what site can I play PLO HU mid stakes or lower?

[@michaelgousis5972]

Michael Gousis 1 second ago Can you do this through a PLO lens? All your RIO content is PLO and on KZbin your giving advice thorough a default NL lens

[@10000rambos]

6:01 6:01 6:01 6:01 6:01 6:01

[@stevepuglia8299]

Phil you need a second guy on the mic.

[@celebclips_1]

is therte omaha solvers? vid plz

[@TheNTLightning]

Hi Phil, I wonder if online poker is rigged? I really want to hear your opinion, can you make a video of it? Thanks a lot. From Vietnam with love!

[@TheMarceloSilva]

J8s was a Bluff on the turn, if turn checked the river bet was a punt, and keep calling rivers with a 2nd pair no kiker and no real blockers, your river calling effitiency goes straigth to the trash

[@benweeconsultwith5812]

Buy the Yen. Make millyens?