Stop the Inforaise!

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Stop the Inforaise!

by Miiwiin

Get your gun and head for the woods: it's hunting season and today we're going to track down and obliterate the inforaise. Why? Because it has no place in a poker player's vocabulary: it's simply misinterpreted far too often. Here, we'll look at why the idea is for the birds and why moves like this should be avoided. 

What's this all about, then?

It's about not playing the line raise/fold with made hands, simply in order to get more information about the strength of your opponent's hand.

Inforaise before the flop

This problem mainly crops up on the flop but to show you exactly where the first mistakes can be made, we'll start by looking at two examples preflop.

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
Hero ($100)
UTG ($100)
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
BU ($100) (18/16/3.1/24/1544) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q , Q
2 folds, Hero raises to $4.00, BU raises to $12.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $35.00, BU raises to $100.00 (all-in), Hero folds

This is old hat for you. 4-bet/fold with a strong hand such as QQ or AK simply isn't an option. It can even be mathematically proven why it's not a good idea. If you're up against the range QQ+/AK in an all-in, you'd have the right call for equity. However, that's not the point here.

The point here is to see when the information raise starts. Your holding QQ, your opponent 3-bets. Now you want to 4-bet to work out where you stand.

4-bets get called very rarely, regardless of who your opponent is (and when they do it's often an attempt to trap). In this example, an 18/16er will almost never call a 4-bet, except now and then with aces or kings (as just mentioned).

This gives rise to the following possible outcomes:

• Your opponent folds, you win
• Your opponent pushes, you lose

Now take a look at example 2:

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
Hero ($100)
UTG ($100)
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
BU ($100) (18/16/3.1/24/1544) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]

Preflop: Hero is CO with 7 , 2
2 folds, Hero raises to $4.00, BU raises to $12.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $35.00, BU raises to $100.00 (all-in), Hero folds

So, what's the difference? Exactly, there isn't one.

You turn your hand into a bluff with a raise/fold (in this case, 4-bet fold), as absolutely nothing else comes close to the strength of your hand.

Now think about the definition of a bluff: making a stronger hand to fold.

Which better hands than QQ should fold here? Do you really want to try and bluff out the kings here? Sadly, it'll never work.

As mentioned, this is nothing new for you, however it is the starting point for the information raise.

(Shotguns at the ready, we're about to get started...)

Inforaise on the flop

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with A , J
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) A, 5, 6 (2 players)
UTG bets $7.00, Hero...

Now we've got a proper mess. You hit the flop really well and your opponent, a bit of a funny player, donks in almost half a pot. What can you do?

One thing is out of the question: you can't find a fold. But then, why would you?

You've got the options call or raise. Now it's getting dangerous for you, a little voice in your head is saying:

"Raise the flop, if the opponent pushes I can fold, as he's holding AK, AQ or 5x... anyway"

How would that look?

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with A , J
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) A, 5, 6 (2 players)
UTG bets $7.00, Hero raises to $20.00, UTG raises to $50.00, Hero folds

Well, are you happy with that? You can't be really. Just because Villain places another bet, it doesn't automatically mean that he's holding a better hand.

An information raise like this has three basic problems:

• Isolation against better hands
  With strong hands your opponent would like to play for a big pot, he'd like to stay in the pot with AK/AQ, for example. You'll almost never have fold equity against hands like this.
• You push away weaker hands
  However, with KK- or AT-, your value extraction is pretty much over.
• Susceptible to bluffs
  You're susceptible to bluffs. There's no need discuss drawing hands such as 78 here. Imagine the range described in hand 2 turns into a bluff and pushes. Then, he'll take the pot.

Ultimately, the point is you've already given the pot up in your head, for whatever reason. It could just as easily be that your opponent calls.

How do you play on the turn? Do you bet/fold? Or do you check behind to call on the river? Maybe you even play check/fold on both streets... Should you do this (which would actually be consistent if you intend to raise/fold on the flop and so don't want to invest any more without improving your hand), then you provide two further attack platforms for a bluff. Namely the turn and the river.

What should you do in the example above? There are only two reasonable alternatives.

Either you call and see what happens on the turn or you raise and are ready to go broke on the flop because you think your opponent could push a lot of weaker hands here.

As the board isn't particularly draw heavy and you don't really want to go broke on the flop, a call would be the better option.

You might be thinking about putting that gun away, because you don't want to get into this fight. Then you think to yourself, how on earth can you protect if you just call down here?

Unfortunately, you're completely right here.

The moment you decide to call, you can't protect rather you're protecting freecards (that is: cheap cards).

Your thoughts would be understandable in this situation:

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with A , J
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) A, K, Q (2 players)
UTG bets $7.00, Hero...

In a situation like this you'll generally just get your gun ready, at the least utter a couple of vulgar words would understandable.

But what good does it do you? You could always raise/fold here, however the problem remains the same. So which weaker hands should call? KxJ?

What happens if a hand like this pushes? Maybe because he's noticed that you have a tendency towards tough folds, or you're in a position to make one.

Anyway, what exactly would be so catastrophic about the following hand?

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with A , J
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) A, K, Q (2 players)
UTG bets $7.00, Hero calls $7.00

Turn: ($25.50) 8 (2 players)
UTG bets $15.00, Hero folds

Would you say you haven't protected on the flop, even though you fold anyway to a push with your opponent's draw?

Would you have preferred it if Villain had actually called your possible (info) raise and you then saw this turn? Definitely not, right?

You should stop and think on the flop if you hit a draw heavy board with made hands. Of course having observed your opponent carefully and under the assumption that he'll donk the flop (otherwise you wouldn't have the problem):

• You think your opponent is holding a weaker hand, maybe a stronger hand and now and then a draw. 

This sounds like the way ahead / way behind principle. This principle is in fact the starting point when considering why an information raise is rubbish. You let weaker hands bluff, so you can win as much as possible from them. However, you lose the minumum against stronger hands.

So the decision is: call.

• You believe your opponent has a strong draw and can play it aggressively, that he overplays medium hands and that he's rarely holding a strong hand.
  

If you have these reads then go for it. Of course you could raise, however if you give your opponent this range, why should you fold to a push?

So the decision is: raise/broke

• You think your opponent is regularly holding a draw, but tends to play them passively. He could be holding a strong hand but also frequently a medium hand which you dominate.
  

Now things are getting close and you have the problem of protecting again under scrutiny. However, in this case: pot control > protection.

You're giving out freecards (cheap cards) so you need to be careful not to invest too much as the hand progresses. If you get unpleasant cards (scare cards), you should give up.

You don't lose an awful lot against draws, as on one hand they generally don't show up (a 8-/9- outer in roughly a third of cases) and on the other, you'll often recognise them. However, weaker hands will also pay out and you'll lose against strong made hands.

So the decision is: call

Of course, your'e asking yourself now if and why you should raise on the flop at all. You should raise regularly on the flop and you can fold to a raise, without question, but not with a made hand.

Here are a few possibilities:

• If you're holding a very strong hand => raise/broke
• If you're holding a strong hand and have to protect => raise/broke
• If you're holding a medium hand, but see yourself ahead against => raise/broke
• If you're not holding anything => bluff => raise/fold
• If you're holding a draw => semi-bluff => raise/fold or raise/call (depending on how strong the draws are and what  odds you've got)

As you can see, you can frequently raise the flop and also fold to another raise, it's all balanced.

How can you balance your way ahead / way behind calls with your medium hand, as you'll be reluctant to raise/fold:

• Call with very strong hands (slowplay)
• Call with draws depending on the odds (implied odds)
• Call with air in order to bluff on a later street (float)

You can't argue now that a call down is so obvious. Because if that's the case, you're doing something else wrong.

In most cases. The problem occurs most frequently on the flop, but it happens in lots of other situations too. You should understand the pivotal statement as to why this move is no use. Then you can understand that it applies to play in almost every other situation:

• In unraised pots
• In situations on the flop in which you weren't the preflop aggressor
• During turn play

You'll generally have a hand with showdown value, so try to take it there.

Exceptions. There certainly are some, because it's the exception that proves the rule.

Always remember it's about the inforaise, which only has the function of gathering unnecessary information.

Thus, it should be clear that the underlyin considerations don't relate to the following example:

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with A , J
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) J, T, 4 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $9.00, UTG raises to $27.00, Hero folds

Bet/fold is definitely fine against a passive player.

In multi-way pots there are different rules. There are a lot more hands against you and you usually have no idea where you stand. You should also think carefully here about whether a raise/fold makes sense or if there is simply a lack alternatives.

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
Hero ($100)
SB ($100)
BU ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9 , 6
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, BU calls $1.00, SB calls $1.00, Hero checks

Flop: ($4.00) 9, 8, 6 (4 players)
SB bets $2.50, Hero raises to $10.00, UTG calls $10.00, BU raises to $25.00, SB raises to $100.00 (all-in)

You may be saying now that this is a fairly contrived example and it is. What's important is the principle:

• Raise flop => good
• Fold to a push after the action shown => good

So there are exceptions.

Min-donks and min-bets don't really count as bets. Trying to buy a cheap card for a measly bet shouldn't be condoned. If you raise here it's almost like the first real bet, so the principle doesn't really apply.

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with A , J
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) J, T, 4 (2 players)
UTG bets $2.00, Hero raises to $12.00, UTG raises to $26.00, Hero folds

There are situations on the river where raise/fold makes sense. As there are now more draws about, protection is out anyway. The only question you need to ask yourself is what's your position?

According to the principle outlined you should be very cautious with raise/fold here. However, there's another point to consider: thin value bets. If you try to extract value, even in tight situations, then you won't be able to avoid this line now and again. 

PartyPoker $100 NL Hold'em (6-handed) HandRecorder v0.9b

Stacks & Stats
MP ($100)
CO ($100)
UTG ($100) (24/12/1.8/26/666) [VPIP/PFR/AF/WTS/Hands]
BB ($100)
SB ($100)
Hero ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BU with 2 , 2
UTG calls $1.00, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $5.00

Flop: ($11.50) 5, 7, 4 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($11.50) T(2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks

River: ($11.50) 2(2 players)
UTG bets $5.00, Hero raises to $15.00, UTG raises all-in, Hero folds

Here you need to believe that your opponent will call again with a weaker hand such as top pair/overpair/two pair, however he'll only push better hands. That's not very easy either.

Reads are always important, however you should be able to assess them correctly. You may have reads on your oppponent, but do you really know how opponent X will play certain hands in certain situations? More specifically, how will he play at fluctuating limits such as low or medium stakes.

An inforaise would make sense in theory, if you knew that

• your opponent always folds a draw
• your opponent never 3-bets a draw
• your opponent never plays bet/call (think about the up-coming streets, he can always still bluff you out depending on them)
• your opponent only 3-bets with stronger hands than yours
• your opponent often stays in the pot with weaker hands (essentially, your aim is to extract value), but never 3-bets
• there's the possibility to find out if your opponent has a draw, a weaker hand or a stronger hand on later streets, as you want to get value from the weaker hands but don't want to pay out to stronger hands or be bluffed out by busted draws

If you can implement this, then respect. You don't need this article.

However, if you're thinking that that's not possible for the average poker player, then get that gun and blow the raise/fold information line away.