Timing...Can make all the difference

I played in my sunday tournament again today (still havent won) and I made a play that had everyone talking about as soon as the hand was over. I was BB with roughly 6000 in chips and the table folded to me except for one player who was the chip leader and pretty agrressive. I held A-8 offsuit and the board flopped Q-T-7 rainbowed. I checked as did the other player. The turn was a 9 giving me a long shot straight draw. again I checked but the other player this time the other player made the min bet of 800 and I called. The river hit with an ace giving me top pair but it also made a straight a good possibilty. I checked with the intention of raising if he bet which he did. This time he said "I bet 1600" and while reaching for his chips to place them in the pot I said I'm raising all in. He went into the think tank for a couple minutes and then folded thinking I had hit the straight. I showed him my pair and he had the same cards so it would have been a split pot but he said because of how fast my check raise had come he thought he was beat. So timing a play can make all the difference.

live that can be considered a bluff, by some of the top pros, but against a weaker player a snap raise can be very strong in appearance. Nice play.

It's amazing how many times the snap-shoves works against amateurs (including myself). I use it alot during my weekly tourney and it's quite effective. Especially if my opp shows weakness during previous streets.

And it's especially sweet when you make your opp lay down the same hand as the one your holding!

TheKAAHK said:

And it's especially sweet when you make your opp lay down the same hand as the one your holding!

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I agree. That can really pump you up. Yeah I've heard lederer talk about how a snap check raise can usually be sniffed out as a weak play. I'm not sure the psychological reasons people would tend to shove faster when they are bluffing. Maybe it is to "look" stronger as they make their bluff. Ahhh live poker how I miss thee. GL takin it down next week.

Stix