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shows strength by checkraising, but they could be making a move with as little as a straight
draw, smaller pair, or even a pair of tens with no kicker. On the other hand, the big blind
might be holding two diamonds, AT, KT, QT, T8, or a set. The big blind may even have been
semibluffing with a hand such as AQ or Q8, and now they will be in the lead. So the button is
in a predicament. Clearly, there is enough chance that the pair of tens is winning for this hand
to see a showdown. Also, against many of the above hands, the JhTh has outs even if it behind
on the turn. Let's examine what happens if the button only calls the turn.
Example 1A. $10/20. $85 in pot. Button holds JhTh.
The BB bets the turn. The Button calls. $125 in pot.
Board: 5d Td 8c Qd Ah.
First, let's assume the big blind checks on the river. Now, the button has a tough decision. Bet
or check? Will the big blind call an additional bet with a smaller pair? A bet here on the river is
thin value at best, and so the button is forced to make a decision that could easily be wrong.
Let's assume the big blind bets the river. The button is in no better shape. After all, most good
players in the big blind would realize that the button has to hold some sort of hand, and
besides, what could the big blind be betting as a bluff? So, the question becomes, "What are
the odds the big blind bets out with lower than a pair of tens?" It's a tough decision that the
button would probably be happy to avoid.
Example 1B. $10/20. $85 in pot. Button holds JhTh.
The BB bets the turn. The Button calls. $125 in pot.
Board: 5d Td 8c Qd 2d.
What a horrible river card! The 4th diamond on the river has created lots of problems for the
button's pair of tens. After all, the BB might just bluff on the river with a busted straight draw
or smaller pair, even without a diamond. Or, the BB might check-call with any hand beating
the button but not containing a diamond. Either way, the JhTh is paralyzed.
Example 1C. $10/20. $85 in pot. Button holds JhTh.
The BB bets the turn. The Button calls. $125 in pot.
Board: 5d Td 8c Qd 6h.
Is that river card a brick, or did it make a straight for the opponent's 97? Or maybe two pair:
sixes and fives or eights and sixes? So, now there are two problems. The button still has to
make a tough decision on the river, bet or check, call or fold. But also, we see how the big blind
has been given the opportunity to catch a winning second pair or straight, often when it would
have folded if pressure had been applied.
The Turn Raise Approach
Example 2. $10/20. $85 in pot. Button holds JhTh.
The BB bets the turn. The Button raises. $145 in pot (BB must call $20)
Board 5d Td 8c Qd.
We have a different scenario in Example 2 then any of the examples above because initiative is
now in the hands of the button, not the big blind. The button's raise screams "I have a big
hand." Despite the big blind's flop checkraise (which I grant doesn't mean as much as it does
in a full game) the button is demonstrating strength.
And the truth is that the button does have strength. A pair of tens with jack kicker is not bad at
all, especially heads-up, and a nine offers three or four extra straight outs against many
holdings. But the real value of this play is that the turn card is scary to almost everything the
big blind could hold. The queen is top card so any pair of tens, eights, or fives has to be
worried. And the third diamond is going to be scary to anybody not holding the completed
flush. So, the turn raise by the button freezes the big blind and forces a tricky choice.
" 3-bet with T8?
" Call with KT?
" Call with T9?
" Call with 87?
The big blind is going to make some mistakes in this precarious position. Frequently, a player
will fold a hand such as T9, figuring the (3) Jack outs are no good. Some will even fold KT
without a diamond. With hands such as the 87 or 65, the odds of improving to two pair or
three of a kind is 5:39, about 1:8. With 1:7.25 odds, it would not be much of a mistake for the
87 or 65 to call, if they knew the two pair would be good. So, the button wouldn't mind those
hands folding either.
If the big blind holds a small diamond and knew the flush would be good if a fourth diamond
fell, it would always have sufficient odds to call. So, hands such as 8d6c have more than
enough odds to call; yet, many big blind players will fold that 8d6c against a turn raise because
the turn raise shows strength and the big blind cannot know the flush would be good.
The turn raise solves our button's problem on the river as well. If any kind of scare card
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