[norshvind]

I have been using this play in no limit tournaments and cash games. In low stakes NL games I'm really surprised at how well this works and how people fall for it time and time again.

It goes a little like this: I'm usually playing low suted connectors (but not always) I flop a big hand (of little cards ) or make it on the turn. Maybe a baby straight, whatever. The play works best when a big card falls off on a later street. It's checked to me and I make a "wuss bet" of 1 or 2 X the BB. It tells my opponent. "I'd really like to steal this pot, but I'm too much of a pussy to risk any chips, please fold." Inevitably someone will come over the top of me with a big raise. If I'm feeling dramatic, I will agonize over the decision for as long as I can, and before they know it, all their chips are in the middle and they are busted.

The $5 tournament crowd falls for this time and time again. They are all playing big cards, and they never dream that their AK is dead on a flop like 347 rainbow when an A falls on the turn and I show them 56s.

[lork]

I think its their fault for letting you enter a pot like that. If they have big cards, they should make a moderate raise 4-8x the bb to get hands like yours either paying for your mistake or out of the pot.

But hey, if they let you limp in with any two cards...you might as well see the flops and see if you hit, it might be worth it against those weak players..

[chris]

I've been using this tactic for real monsters when the board looks really scary for everyone else (e.g. quads, having AKs and flopping the nut flush, having JT and flopping AKQ), when 5 players check for 2 rounds and you bet minimum after another brick hits on the river, someone with a marginal hand usually puts a huge bet to steal the pot back.

Also unless the blinds have become too big, I like playing small suited connectors aggressively to mix my game up. This way you can punish opponents who think a preflop raise is 2 cards over J. I play them occationally with a moderate raise (3-5BB) from middle or late position if the pot is still unraised and rarely from early position. In my opinion 67s is a much better hand than ATo.

[jhasper]

Nevermind, good points. I missed something. Thinking it over, the post I was going to make was wrong.

[pritz]

On a similar note... I'll use the "you caught me bluffing" bet when I have a monster...

example...

the other day I was on the big blind with 9-6 and got the see the flop for free....

flop comes 9 9 6

I bet 2 times the BB... not huge... I want callers...2 guys call.

turn brings junk... I check... (now, I'm telling them that I was trying to steal after the flop because the board was paired... but "you got me" I don't have it... I'll check....)

everyone else checks... afraid that I'm setting up a check raise...

here's where it took balls of steel...

river brings junk... and I check again... just knowing that this one guy will try to steal it...

he does... the other guy folds...and I go all in... he has to call, he just can't believe I have it...

[ballen]

I did that the other day in a 1/2 NL game at Pokerstars, at one table, same exact hand, 69os won 187 bucks, and then at other table, UTG, with 88, I call bb, coupla other players later, one bet raise, sb folds, BB calls I call, me BB and and raiser in hand...

Flop comes 88K, BB checks, I bet 4, raiser calls, BB calls... turn is junk, BB checks, I check now, raiser checks. River is junk, BB checks, I bet 4 again raiser folds, BB tosses all in with 60.

[razor]

I've been making this move in cash games for years and it works pretty well in NL tourneys too. But you have to establish certain parameters first, especially table image.

Low/medium suited connectors (anywhere from 45 though 89) in early position (differing from your version). If you have an image as a reasonably tight player, they KNOW you won't come in from early position with anything less than AA KK QQ or AK and maybe AQs. If someone comes over you and narrows the field, out you go, further enhancing your image. If you get callers, you know they are on something juicy, and if you get more than 2, you know the big cards are pretty well split up.

If the board comes junk, you may have the best hand or a nice draw already, and you can represent the big overpair by coming out strong. If the board comes high, you come out a little less strong, so they think you may have hit a big set and are angling for a call and they won't come near you, or if you get raised, you can duck out.

The absolute optimum result is the first scenario, with a two pair, straight or flush called down by a big hand. Big pot, nice show of mixed play, giving you a chance for more action on your big hands later on.