Donk Betting: When Is it Best?

[Kekule]

The problem is, unless you are playing extremely high stakes with regulars, no one plays poker the "right" way that people always talk about.

It doesn't matter if you're playing OOP or cbetting or anything like that at the stupid micro stakes. No one is paying attention to these things and no one is playing with any sort of consistency. All of these rules and strategies go out the window.

I can't remember who said it first, but you can't hope to play at a level more than one strategy level above your opponent. All of the "strategy" goes right over their head so to say.

 

[starting_at_the_bottom]

I rarely donk bet the good regs for value, as they would usually fire out a continuation bet anyway.

I sometimes donk into the bad players to make sure I get value for hands, assuming of course the flop hits their likely range. For example I hold 22 and the flop comes down AQ2 I am donking into the bad players almost 100% of the time. Donking is very profitable if you get it right.

I also sometimes donk bet bluff/semi bluff against the nit regs depending on the flop, perhaps 1/2 pot, being nits this often works (obv you only try this if you are heads up post flop), Of course at 4nl there are not many nits.

 

[arborest]

Donk beting is more likely to be a failure than sucessful. Thats why I try to avoid it every single time. Of course we do it from time to time to get opponent confused, but overall it is not a good idea.

 

[joe777]

Chipleadar often use their stacksize,pasiton and tourney phase to make donk bet.Also to exploit weaknesses at the table.

 

[Akwind]

i love donk bets
i do them for value and as a block bet - when i have a good combodraw.
depending on a limit you play - at micro limits ussualy they just call, and mid stakes - you get reraised to often - so make it more on value

 

[Shumkoolie]

The problem is, unless you are playing extremely high stakes with regulars, no one plays poker the "right" way that people always talk about.

It doesn't matter if you're playing OOP or cbetting or anything like that at the stupid micro stakes. No one is paying attention to these things and no one is playing with any sort of consistency. All of these rules and strategies go out the window.

I can't remember who said it first, but you can't hope to play at a level more than one strategy level above your opponent. All of the "strategy" goes right over their head so to say.

Excellent point about playing at a particular level. This topic is probably a good one on its own, but I think what a lot of players have a tendency of doing is falling into the "fancy play syndrome" trap, where they think they are out-thinking their opponents, but really they aren't because it's not as if it's a you-know-that-I-know-that-you-know-that game. Any strategy is only going to be successful if you are able to manipulate your opponent into doing what you want him/her to do.

Donk betting is no different. If the situation presents itself, I'll certainly take advantage of it. But a successful donk bet is really properly executed even before the actual bet itself, when you're making your pre-flop play.

Example - You're playing Zoom on pokerstars and you're in one of the blinds, with any two cards really. An opponent will, more often than not, when on the button, raise. You can execute the beginnings of a really good donk bet at this point by 3-betting pre-flop, thus forcing your opponent into accounting for the possibility that either you have a really good hand or you're on to what they're trying to do. If they 4-bet, you can then end the charade, but if they just flat call (if they fold, even better), while your OOP, you now have a chance to execute a donk bet on the flop. It sometimes works for me, and I'll either have a piece of the flop or complete air. Because of the randomness of your opponents, it's probably going to have a fairly good success rate.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Excellent point about playing at a particular level. This topic is probably a good one on its own, but I think what a lot of players have a tendency of doing is falling into the "fancy play syndrome" trap, where they think they are out-thinking their opponents, but really they aren't because it's not as if it's a you-know-that-I-know-that-you-know-that game. Any strategy is only going to be successful if you are able to manipulate your opponent into doing what you want him/her to do.

Donk betting is no different. If the situation presents itself, I'll certainly take advantage of it. But a successful donk bet is really properly executed even before the actual bet itself, when you're making your pre-flop play.

Example - You're playing Zoom on PokerStars and you're in one of the blinds, with any two cards really. An opponent will, more often than not, when on the button, raise. You can execute the beginnings of a really good donk bet at this point by 3-betting pre-flop, thus forcing your opponent into accounting for the possibility that either you have a really good hand or you're on to what they're trying to do. If they 4-bet, you can then end the charade, but if they just flat call (if they fold, even better), while your OOP, you now have a chance to execute a donk bet on the flop. It sometimes works for me, and I'll either have a piece of the flop or complete air. Because of the randomness of your opponents, it's probably going to have a fairly good success rate.

In this example (last paragraph), that is not "donk betting". You are the preflop raiser (you 3-bet).

Donk betting is leading into the preflop raiser. Not 3-betting and c-betting.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

i love donk bets
i do them for value and as a block bet - when i have a good combodraw.
depending on a limit you play - at micro limits ussualy they just call, and mid stakes - you get reraised to often - so make it more on value

A donk bet is just not as effective as a check-raise. Donk betting doesn't really have that much fold equity. With combo draws, it might be better to check raise to maximize fold equity (some spots though your opponent flops well and check raise is kinda bad cause he never folds).


In general donk betting should be reserved for huge hands and you want value/protection.

 

[TheWiener]

against players who basically don't know what a cbet is or calling stations its a good move i think.

to protect your hand against a strong draw i'd always donkbet as well.

low overpairs like 77, 88 i donkbet/fold cause i don't want to see a turn which is very often a overcard that could hit an opening range.

 

[BogdanStark]

Donk betting is when DONK (bad/stupid) player make little bet on any street with mediocre cards. who or what makes them do it? let psychologists think about it because I have no answer to this question =)

BUT

if I had near the NUTS combination already on flop, I can use DONK BETTING to value bet! But not for any opponent! I need to see good VPIP on HUD stats and then make betting.

So from situation to situation, this rule and my decisions will be different but I have to be completely confident in the strength of my hand!!!

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Dannte]

I'm not a good player by any means, take my opinion with caution, but I donk sometimes (helps that I play on a site on which you can change identity)

When I hit TpTk/2 pairs/set and there's a draw (I don't want him to see a cheap card)
When I have a good draw myself, if I feel he will not 3bet me. ( I want to see the next card at my price, plus I can always check if the draw hits - confuses a lot of people )
Sometimes when I hit a set and there's a high card on the flop.

 

[lakanrai]

sometimes its fun,

 

[PacMan]

There are players who are very tight play post-flop. Therefore apply to them quite reasonable donk for value.

 

[rastapapolos]

i use donk bet when someone in late position opened the pot, and i'm in the SB or BB, and the flop is dry with low cards. sometimes it works, but you have to proceed carefully as the raiser could have big pairs unless you connected with the board.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

i use donk bet when someone in late position opened the pot, and i'm in the SB or BB, and the flop is dry with low cards. sometimes it works, but you have to proceed carefully as the raiser could have big pairs unless you connected with the board.

FWIW, in my experience, donk betting by villains almost always means they are weak or drawing. Depending on the villain, and the read, I usually just float anyways. Sometimes, I even raise them.

Against opponents who are thinking, it's not a very good strategy as a bluff.

 

[Syltan]

Such a bet, I only bet as a bluff ))

 

[razzor94]

There are some situations when donking can really help you. For example( and i tried this recently and am still experimenting with it), when you raise preflop and an opponent who has position on you 3bets you and you call. You donk on the flop and if he calls he probably doesn't have much of a hand( he would probably raise) or sometimes he hit super hard and is slowplaying you( that happens mostly when he hits a set- if the board is looking good for him[no flush draws no straight draws], straight or better but that doesnt occur that often so we can ignore it). If he calls you will probobly win most of the time if you fire a good sized bet on the turn(I like to make a pot sized bet, or even overbet slightly). Also when i do it i like to do it with hands that dont have much equity to win against his 3bet range,(overpairs, small PP etc) and on a board texture that doesnt hit his 3bet range( rainbow flops, 9 high flops etc). When you do such a play people wont know what to make of it, and re-raising the flop as a bluff is not someting players on micros are keen on doing. Players will fold/call 90% of the time if they dont have a good hand on your flop donk bet. It doesnt have to be much( half the pot is fine) Also if you count that you are in big equity disadvantage against his range adding some fold equity when you bet is an extremly profitable play.
There will be times when you hit a set on the flop and if you made this play couple of times against a certain player he might just pay you off.
Try it out, but dont overdo it. GL

 

[noodletheriver]

A donk bet is just not as effective as a check-raise. Donk betting doesn't really have that much fold equity. With combo draws, it might be better to check raise to maximize fold equity (some spots though your opponent flops well and check raise is kinda bad cause he never folds).


In general donk betting should be reserved for huge hands and you want value/protection.

I don't think this is true at 100nl and micro mtt or sngs. At these stakes if I am in the BB and is normally the case have 2 limpers + SB or will have an initial raise with several callers so I am priced to call with a wide range . if the flop comes down all of one suit I am betting . if the flop is paired smalI am betting . if the flop is in anyway scary I am donk betting and %50 of the time I am firing a second barrel if called . I haven't done the math but I think this must be cheaper than check raising and nobody but the TAG regs are going to respect a check raised flop unless you make it for about half your stack. My 2 cents