Timing Tells (4) - The Block Check

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Timing Tells (4) – The Block Check

by MiiWiin

In the last part of this column series on timing tells, we've got a little treat for you: making timing tells work for your benefit. This can be a valuable weapon.

Self recognition

You have lots of opportunities to use timing tells to your benefit. With a bit of creativity, comprehension of the game and good interpretation of your opponent, there's nothing to stop you (just as with ranges, bet sizes, raise sizes, lines...)

Here's a potential move that may please you. However, there are lots of other ways of letting time work for you, so don't just take these tips on board but try to work out new ways yourself.

What is a Block Check?

The block check originates from the block bet. The aims and conditions for a block check are:

• You're holding a marginal hand
• The board develops unfavourably
• You want to get to the showdown cheaply
• You play out of position
• You don't want your opponent to bluff, as you still can't call part of his bluff/value range

Question:

Can you make this happen with a check too?

Let's start from the beginning: origin, method and proof.

Origin

You want to play marginal pots with marginal hands. Clearly, you have no problem should your opponent bluff and so call you with the better hand. Although he will value bet a lot of better hands and some bluffs. So a call down is seldom an option; your goal is a cheap showdown.

One way to reach this starts on the turn:

$25 NL Hold'em (6-handed)

Stacks & Stats
UTG ($25)
MP ($25)
CO ($25)
Hero ($25)
SB ($25)
BB ($25)

Preflop: Hero is BU with
2 folds, CO raises $0.75, Hero calls $0.75, 2 folds

Flop: ($1.85) (2 players)
CO bets $1.25, Hero calls $1.25

Turn: ($4.35) (2 players)
CO checks, Hero...

Here's where you stand on the turn. You have a middle pair, but whether or not you're really holding the better hand is doubtful. Your opponent could be holding draws, he could be holding air and check/fold, he could be holding something better and check/call or even check raise with very strong hands.

You decide against a bet, as there's scarcely a weaker range which will call and because few better hands fold.

The fact is: you find yourself with a really marginal hand, you maybe have 5 outs to trips or two pair but really, you'd prefer it if the hand was already over with a check on the turn.

Before you check, think about what you don't want to see on the river: your opponent bet! If your opponenet is holding an acceptable hand (or better), you won't be able to stop this.

You mainly want to prevent bluff bets with busted draws AK/AJ, Jx etc.

Unfortunately, it's tricky to assess what range Villain actually has on the river. This means that even if there is the odd bluff, you'll find it hard to find a call against the range with your 3rd pair and no kicker.

It would be ideal if he only bet better hands and gave up bluffs against which you can win the showdown.

How can you make this happen? By waiting on the turn. Think for ten seconds, then check. The plan is to fold to every river bet.

What will your opponent think? "If Hero isn't holding anything and folds anyway on the river, then why does he think for so long? Did he want to float? Was he considering a value bet? Has he checked to catch a possible bluff bet from me on the river?"

Villain will rarely naturally assume that you'll think for ten seconds although the turn and river plan have long been certain and that you'll give up the hand.

Result: by thinking for a long time, you at least represent a range that's worth thinking about. If your opponent takes note of this then he'll bluff proportionally less on the river, as he'll expect you to call a lot.

Note:

If your opponent bets on the river anyway, you shouldn't fold straight away. Think for a few more seconds, then you can fold. Questions will arise in your opponent's mind and, now and again, the odd bead of sweat on his forehead.

Method

What does this play have to do with a block check?

The idea behind this is to take the drawn out turn play to the river:

$25 NL Hold'em (6-handed)

Stacks & Stats
UTG ($25)
MP ($25)
CO ($25)
Hero ($25)
SB ($25)
BB ($25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with
2 folds, CO raises $0.75, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.75

Flop: ($1.60)  (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.20, Hero calls $1.20

Turn: ($4.00) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks

River: ($10.10) (2 players)
Hero...

You peeled once on the flop and checked on the turn. Your opponent checks behind.

Now you're out of position on the river and playing against a weak range. Your opponent could be holding Jx/Tx, he could be holding overcards which have just hit, or extremely marginal straight draws (98s), flush draws (two are possible on the turn), middle pairs (88-66, 44/33) or other marginal hits (A2s, 54, 56 etc.)

You're not looking too bad against this range, but despite everything, you don't assess Villain as very aggressive, so you can easily check/call.

Why not block bet? You can block bet against weak, passive players. A weaker hand will seldom call in this spot, moreover, you haven't had the initiative once in the hand and if Villain is a thinking player (the block bet has been a matter of course for him for years), you may induce unwanted bluff raises.

What's to be done? Wait ten seconds and check.

During the ten seconds your opponent will also be thinking. If he's not actually holding Kx, he won't be overly fond of the river card. He's rarely holding something strong, otherwise he would have had to protect on the turn.

Thinking for a while makes the following lines possible:

• You want to check raise river nuts
• You consider whether check/call is better to induce a bluff
• Do you want to bluff bet yourself?
• Do you want to value bet?
• Can you play bet/broke or bet/fold?

In any case, your opponent will think: "he's up to something."

Next, you check. Your opponent may acknowledge this with some consternation, but he interprets it as strong. The same applies as in the turn play described previously: do you think for ten seconds here in order to finally check/fold? Not really.

The outcome: he'll bluff bet less, you can comfortably check/fold. However, it's clear here too that you shouldn't fold directly after his bet.

Result: busted draws will check behind here very regularly, your opponent's betting frequency has receeded significantly.

Proof

"Proof" might sound a bit hard, ultimately it's a collection of experiences.

After some time the following hand comes up against a different opponent (roughly presented and with a different limit, but it really did happen):

$25 NL Hold'em (6-handed)

Stacks & Stats
UTG ($25)
MP ($25)
CO ($25)
BU ($25)
SB ($25)
Hero ($25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with
2 folds, CO raises $0.75, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.75

Flop: ($1.60) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.20, Hero calls $1.20

Turn: ($4.00) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $2.70, Hero calls $2.70

River: ($9.40) (2 players)
Hero...

We could discuss all the streets here. Only the call out of position preflop, check/call on the flop would most likely be described as standard.

I liked the turn a lot, however I played on passively instead of leading or even check raising. Anything was possible, but I gave Villain a wide bluffing range and had no problems correctly check/calling with a midpair and outs.

Villain could play aggressively as well, having to bet/fold to a lead on my part would have been annoying, bet/broke however would have been quite thin.

In any case, I was on the river and not particularly happy. I decided on the block check, considered it for at least ten seconds and checked to Villain.

My opponent took just as much thinking time, almost until the time out. Then he checked.

He shows:

Well, in the first moment I didn't feel so lucky. After all, I wanted to stop him bluffing and ideally take the pot myself, as every poker player would. This had not come about.

However, then came the interpretation: Villain checked his set behind here. How incredibly strong must my block check have seemed for Villain not even to value bet a set again against me?

If he gives me such a strong range, how could he ever bluff here? Which hand could he still value bet if even a set isn't enough?

So the block check had proved itself successful.

Balancing

Now the next question is naturally about balancing. What do you do if you're really holding a strong hand and want to check raise? Are you possibly cashing too many check behinds?

For this, your opponent would first have to recognise the play. This situation is rare (unlike standard c-bets on the flop, for example), which is why it's not especially likely that Villian will adapt to it quickly.

Imagine you really have just check raised the nuts on the river. You'll get a even more credit for your checks in the future. So you get exactly what you want: your opponent doesn't know if you've got nuts or nothing, you've become unreadable.

If your opponent has seen through everything, then despite everything, you're still back to a state of multiple level thinking; you can't change this.

LINKS
Related articles: Timing Tells (1) - Introduction Timing Tells (2) - Basics Timing Tells (3) - The Most Important Spots