Blockbets - Keeping your opponent at bay
Introduction
In this article
- Blockbets stop opponents on the river
- Blockbets can only be used in specifc situations
- Passive opponents are perfect targets
If we are out of position on the river and have a hand with showdown
value, while our opponent however, signals some strength, even if it was just
by calling large bets, then we have the chance for a blockbet.
Blockbets are, as the name suggests, bets which constrict the actions
of an opponent, and which are supposed to block this opponent from making a possibly large bet. This is what we want to achieve in the situation
described above.
On the one hand, due to the opposing actions, we
cannot be sure whether we still have the best hand, while, on the other hand,
our hand is too good to fold and might be the best hand. Our goal is to
get to the showdown as cheap as possible.
If we check, we
would give the opponent a clear sign of weakness. The more aggressive
the opponent, the more likely it is that he'll confront us with a
strong riverbet, frequently even 2/3 of the potsize. We are therefore
faced with a tough decision: If we call, we would have to pay more
money than we would like to pay, or we might possibly have to fold the
better hand.
If you want to avoid making this decision, you have
the opportunity to make a so-called blockbet on the river. You bet
relatively small in order to avoid the situation in which the opponent
makes a large bet.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of blockbets?
- The opponent is oftentimes intimidated and simply calls. Compared to the check/call play, we get to the showdown at a relatively low price.
- If he calls, he'll hold a worse or even inferior hand. In this case the blockbet
is some sort of value bet, because you get money from weaker hands,
which the opponent would have otherwise checked behind. - If he raises, he most certainly has a better hand than you and you'll have to fold.
- If he folds, with a busted draw for example, no one will see our hands and no one
will be able to read us. If the opponent folds, you can assume that you
had the best hand. - We stay in control/keep the initiative.
- In case the opponent has the better hand, we give him more value, while he would have otherwise checked behind.
- In case the blockbet is too obvious, some players (bluff) raise and we have to fold (easily exploitable).
- Busted draws, with which the opponent would have made a bluffbet after a check, can easily fold.
- You cannot use blockbets frequently, as they then become obvious.
- You possibly give away value to weaker hands, which the opponent might have used to call larger bets also.
When is it reasonable to use a blockbet?
Not every situation is suitable for a blockbet. As mentioned earlier,
it is reasonable to use a blockbet when we try to get to the showdown
at low cost, and in order to avert a large opposing bet.
This
is often the case if we presumably hold the best hand on the turn, but
the river reveals a scarecard. It is important to note, however, that
this card might look just as dangerous to the opponent. If, for
example, the third card of one suit is revealed on the river, the
opponent probably will not raise with a set, as he has to be afraid of
us holding the flush.
We are holding a KK overpair, for example,
but the river reveals an ace. Since the KK usually makes us
preflop-agressor, an ace could be in our hand range. If we blockbet on
the river, and the opponent only has a "small ace" (e.g. A6), he'll
only call instead of making a strong bet. This will bring us to a
showdown at a lower cost. If someone raises, however, we can fold with
good conscience. The opponent does not even have to hold an ace. He
might even have a set or 2 pairs. Especially a raise against an A
signifies strength.
In another example, we are holding a set,
someone calls us and on the river the third card of one suit is
revealed without a full house for us. There is a real chance that the
opponent has called with a flushdraw and now has a made hand.
After
checking, we provide our opponent with the opportunity to bluff
(bluff-induce) or to check behind. In case we bet a large bet, all
hands that are worse will fold, while the flush will re-raise.
A
blockbet on the other hand might even be called by strong pairs, who
would have folded after a big bet and checked behind after a check. In
those cases, our bet is a value bet. Likewise a weak flush can also just
call in order to make the showdown cheap, while a strong flush would
raise. Against weaker hands, the bet is also a valuebet.
It is important to
note that the bluff-induce model with the check/call action is more
effective against very aggressive players. Those players bluff more
frequently on a check than on a blockbet, which could also be a
valuebet. Additionally, we should note that we have to fold after a
bluff-raise bet, which we like to avoid when playing against very
aggressive players.
How it applies: The more aggressive a player, the more you should use check/call and
bluff-induce. The more passive a player, the more you should use block-
or valuebets.
When is it unreasonable to use blockbets?
It is obvious that it makes no sense to use a blockbet when we assume
the opponent to have a strong hand or even a monster. In those cases,
the opponent will thank us for our bet and possibly even raise.
Afterall, the goal of a blockbet is to detain mediocre hands, which
might be better than ours, from making a large bet. It doesn't make
much sense against a monster. If you're relatively certain that your
opponent has a very strong hand, but you want a showdown nevertheless,
then, depending on the betsize, check/call is the better model.
What betsize should you opt for?
The effectiveness of a blockbet depends on its size among other
factors. You have to find an optimal amount, which isn't easy. You should follow these basic principles:
- The larger the bet, the closer we get to the value/loss, which we'll also get by checking/calling.
- The smaller the bet, the more likely it is to be raised by non-monster hands.
- The larger the bet, the smaller the chances of a bluff-raise (don't bet too small - e.g. 1/5 PS bet).
You have to find a medium. We want to bet as little as possible to make
the showdown cheap, but we also want to make it large enough to avoid a
raise.
Assuming a normal riverbet of ½ to ¾ of the potsize, you
already save when you bet less than ½ the potsize and someone calls
you. The less, the better, as long as you are just called! Remember that bets which are too little attract raises. The aim is to save as much as possible.
The optimal betsize for a blockbet seems to be ¼ or less than ½ the pot
size. As benchmark you can use a measure of about 1/3 of the pot.
Do not always blockbet!
It is important to remember that blockbets are not a universal remedy.
There are situations in which they're reasonable, but there're also
situations in which they simply mean lost value.
It takes a
great deal of practice and knowledge of your opponent to be able to
place a blockbet at the right time. This article is supposed to draw
your attention to this type of play in order for you to be able to vary
your standard game so that others will have difficulty reading you.
Do not, under any circumstances, always use blockbets!
Your opponents will notice if you fold every time your blockbet is raised. Your first option should always be a normal sized bet or a check/call. Only afterwards should you contemplate whether a blockbet is even suitable for the current situation.
Sample hands
Preflop: Hero is SB with K
, A
8 folds, Hero raises to $3.00, BB calls.
Flop: ($6.00) K
, 3
, 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $3, BB raises to $7.00, Hero calls.
Turn: ($20.00) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $13, Hero calls.
River: ($46.00) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $16
Villain raised on the flop and also bet on the turn. It is hence
possible that he is holding a strong hand. The board is very dry,
however, and we could still be in the lead. We therefore blockbet on
the river with about ¼ potsize. If he raises, he probably has two pair
or better. If he calls, we might still be leading, and even if he
doesn't, we prevented a strong riverbet. If he folds ... that's good too! In
that case no one knows which hands we had, and our game cannot be read
easily.
Preflop: Hero is SB with K , A
5 folds, MP3 raises to $3.00, 2 folds, Hero calls, BB calls.
Flop: ($9.00) 4 , Q , A (3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP3 bets $6, Hero calls, BB folds.
Turn: ($21.00) Q (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $13, Hero calls.
River: ($47.00) 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $15, MP3 raises to $58.00, Hero folds.
We get raised on the river. This means we have to let go off our hand as our opponent probably has a queen and we are beat. He might even have hit his set of 4s on the flop or a flush on the river - either way, we lose the hand.
Preflop: Hero is CO with J , T
6 folds, Hero raises to $4.00, BU calls, 2 folds
Flop: ($9.50) T , 2 , 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $6, BU calls.
Turn: ($21.50) T (2 players)
Hero bets $13, BU raises to $29, Hero calls.
River: ($79.50) A (2 players)
Hero bets $23
Even though we get trips on the turn, our opponent might have a flush.
And he raises on the turn. It would be stupid to push all in now: If he
really has a flush, we are way behind. If it was a bluff-raise, he'll
fold and we win the pot - but we get the pot either way if he doesn't
have a flush.
The solution: Only call the raise, but use a
blockbet on the river. Even if he has the nutflash, he'll contemplate pushing all-in on the paired board. A small flush usually will
call and we then saved value. And if he has an overpair (JJ, QQ, KK, AA
- yes, there are people who do not re-raise preflop even if they have
an AA) he might call this "cheap" bet, and we get value from a weaker
hand.
Preflop: Hero is BB with K , 3
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $1.00, 7 folds, Hero checks.
Flop: ($2.50) 7 , 5 , T (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks.
Turn: ($2.50) K (2 players)
Hero bets $1.00, UTG+1 calls $1.00.
River: ($4.50) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $1.80, UTG+1 raises to $4.00, Hero folds.
UTG+1 raises our blockbet. A very obvious sign that we're playing
against a better hand, either against a flush, two pair, or even just
against a better king. Hence, this is a clear fold.
Preflop: Hero is BB with 8 , 7
6 folds, BU calls $1.00, SB folds, Hero checks.
Flop: ($2.50) A , T , 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $2, BU calls.
Turn: ($6.50) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $6, BU calls.
River: ($18.50) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $8, BU raises $30, Hero folds.
We hit our gutshot straight flush draw on the flop. Our option is to
semi bluff and to try and win the pot directly. In case we get called,
we still have a lot of outs. We're building a pot at the same time.
This will bring us more value in case we hit a flush at the end.
This is the case just on the turn. A very strong protection-bet is a
must in this situation! Our opponent will hardly ever bet against a
possible flush, and would rather take a freecard. Hence a check raise
is out of the question.
The card on the river is not nice
again. In the current situation, single hearts over eight can also beat
us. We htherefore block bet in order to find out where we stand. Medium high
hearts might just call our blockbet. A few aces, a two pairs, or a set
(which he would have played badly) might also call us which turns the
blockbet into a valuebet.
We would have won the pot either
way, but if the opponent folds, he doesn't know why we played this
aggressively. The villain raises relatively high, however. There is
nothing on this board he would have raised this high for unless it was
a high heart.
In situations like these, you can pretty much eliminate bluffraises on the lower limits.
We therefore follow the rule: If the blockbet is raised, we fold,
even if we have to throw away a flush. We cannot call at all times,
because we are behind too often for that. The opponent might hold the A which would go well with his play.
Summary
We can blockbet on the River, in order to avoid a bigger bet from the opponent. This make only sense, if we want to be called . If we don't have a showdown-value, then we should either check or make a strong bluffbet, to obtain adequate foldequity.
- If the blockbet is raised, then you should fold!
- Blockbets don't work against Monsters!
- The betsize of a blockbet should be 1/3 of the potsize. (Point 3).
- You should think wisely before making a blockbet!
Blockbets should be done in the following situations:
- There are draws that your opponent could be holding.
- Your hand is marginal.
- Your opponent is not very aggressive (History and table image are of course also very important here).
- You haven't „blockbeted" that often yet.
- You cannot simply play check/fold.
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