Dealing with Donk Bets

BenSprocket

BenSprocket

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Hi all,

Just wanted to start a thread for sharing ideas about dealing with donk bets in micro cash games. I know there are no definite answers to most questions about poker so a sharing of ideas might be beneficial.

It's the usual scenario. You are dealt something like AK or AQ and you raise in a lateish position. You get some callers from the fish and maniacs. You miss the flop but the fish in an earlier position shoves in a 75% to a pot sized bet.

How do you approach this? What is your thinking behind your decisions?
 
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thatgreekdude

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Multi way I'd just fold as people don't really consider position as much, if the pot was heads up you could definitely float or raise a donk lead.
 
n3rv

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Yeah, firstly, you should be betting enough pre-flop to be heads-up at the flop against a weak player. 2 weak players is okay, but any more than 2 and you can't even be certain when you do hit the flop if you have the best hand because the fish could have hit any 2-pair, set etc. far too easily.

Anyway, donk bets generally mean they have hit something here. Even if they have bottom pair, or a low pocket pair, riding 75% bets just to go to showdown with Ace high is still a terrible move. They likely aren't folding to a bluff, or a semi-bluff/feeler either.

The only time I'd consider coming over the top is if I am heads-up and have another draw of some sort and the donk bet is incredibly weak (below half the pot is generally a massive tell they can be pushed off the hand). But you do need a bit more information before you can be certain of these things.
 
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bnasp2

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Well, there is not enough info.

You need some read on that fish. What flop, does it have many draws?


There is no need to stay in any pot with just 2 overcards on such big donk bet.
But if he is doing that with any flop, if you have good chance of improving etc, then you can float that. Also consider other ppl still in pot, how deep you are etc.
 
BenSprocket

BenSprocket

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I wasn't after a definitive answer as the original post says. I was interested in how people approached this kind of situation depending on the one they found themselves in.
 
BenSprocket

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n3rv said:
Yeah, firstly, you should be betting enough pre-flop to be heads-up at the flop against a weak player. 2 weak players is okay, but any more than 2 and you can't even be certain when you do hit the flop if you have the best hand because the fish could have hit any 2-pair, set etc. far too easily.

Anyway, donk bets generally mean they have hit something here. Even if they have bottom pair, or a low pocket pair, riding 75% bets just to go to showdown with Ace high is still a terrible move. They likely aren't folding to a bluff, or a semi-bluff/feeler either.

The only time I'd consider coming over the top is if I am heads-up and have another draw of some sort and the donk bet is incredibly weak (below half the pot is generally a massive tell they can be pushed off the hand). But you do need a bit more information before you can be certain of these things.
Click to expand...


Thank you.
 
BigSlickBaby

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In super soft games, I'm noticing that a lot of fish will also fold to YOUR donk bet 90%+ of the time. As someone else mentioned, a lot of these players are completely ignorant to position. Yours or theirs. They are just playing their cards and the board and seeing absolutely nothing else.

I was in a soft game last night on a new network and these guys were actually telling the whole table what they had after each hand.
 
TimboJonez

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If you completely miss flop, just fold. If they're playing that dumb it will only take that ONE big hand to take their chips.
 
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seventhcereal

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I am not a fan of overplaying AK on a whiffed board. I'd fold, but I'd just balance my range and play some strong hands the same way. Also depends how often he does it. If all the time I will peel with ace high.

BenSprocket said:
Hi all,

Just wanted to start a thread for sharing ideas about dealing with donk bets in micro cash games. I know there are no definite answers to most questions about poker so a sharing of ideas might be beneficial.

It's the usual scenario. You are dealt something like AK or AQ and you raise in a lateish position. You get some callers from the fish and maniacs. You miss the flop but the fish in an earlier position shoves in a 75% to a pot sized bet.

How do you approach this? What is your thinking behind your decisions?
Click to expand...
 
deluns28

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BenSprocket said:
Hi all,

Just wanted to start a thread for sharing ideas about dealing with donk bets in micro cash games. I know there are no definite answers to most questions about poker so a sharing of ideas might be beneficial.

It's the usual scenario. You are dealt something like AK or AQ and you raise in a lateish position. You get some callers from the fish and maniacs. You miss the flop but the fish in an earlier position shoves in a 75% to a pot sized bet.

How do you approach this? What is your thinking behind your decisions?
Click to expand...

I would fold. maybe they called you with garbage and hit or small pocket pairs and thinks he is ahead. If he hit a set, he will probably check. He got you in AK to AJ range. Reraise from your side will mean AA to JJ and will fold to you. One more thing, maybe he is on a flush draw. You should give an example of the usual flop.
.
 
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GWU73

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IF the bet is large, I generally let my hand strength do the deciding (often a raise/ fold, or call and play the turn line). If small, I raise or bet similarly to how I would have bet without their donk bet.
 
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bnasp2

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If they are weak players, than I dont think they would bluff a lot by donk bet. So calling with just AK would be a mistake.
Consider calling with some good chance of improving and if you are deep enough.
Consider raise with some info on villain, that he bluffs a lot or folds easily.

Anyway, even with position, missed AK is not the hand you should defend a lot on missed flop.
 
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bengan95

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I play less variance against those like really tight and when i get my value hands they'll get poor.
Those donks/fish/maniacs often don't pay attention to peoples patterns/behaviours.
 
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