I was just wondering what sort of online signals can you look for when trying to put someone on a hand.

For exaple...

Say your opponent raises from MP and you are the only caller.

The flop comes all rags, something like he then bets out about half the pot. How do you decide if this is a continuation bet with a big ace or if it is a real bet with JJ+ as I think either hand could raise from MP and both would bet out on that flop.

Of course if you make a decent re-raise against a big ace you might get a fold and against JJ your more likely to get an all-in. Obviously this tells you type of hand you are up against but I play at Paradise poker and you only get 800 chips to start in most of their tourneys so by the time you have re-raised a possible continuation bet that is half your stack and if they call or re-raise you are left crippled.

Any tips for spoting a continuation bet as re-raising and pinching these pots is something I believe is a must for STT play? I have done it in the past and it has always been an instinct play, I would say I'm usually 60% correct on these, I'd like to get that up!

I say it depends on his table image and also on your own image.

You need to assess the sort of hands he is likely to be playing and also assess the types of hands he expects you to be playing.

If the board contradicts what info you have on him but confirms the info he is likely to have deduced on you then give it a go.

I agree early on in tournies this is not worth worrying about mainly because of the lack of information required (unless you have notes) and the rewards are low, but the info becomes useful as the blinds increase.

It's impossible to know the difference without a read on villian.

The way you get a read is to see how they play their made hands (like TT+) against a flop like that, and how they play their big A hands against a similar flop. If they get check raised after firing what looks to be a continuation bet, do they fold? Do they reraise all in? Do they flat call?

Any hand that goes to showdown is a goldmine of information . . . .

Originally Posted by Jason75

It's impossible to know the difference without a read on villian.

The way you get a read is to see how they play their made hands (like TT+) against a flop like that, and how they play their big A hands against a similar flop. If they get check raised after firing what looks to be a continuation bet, do they fold? Do they reraise all in? Do they flat call?

Any hand that goes to showdown is a goldmine of information . . . .

Without a read, I would say dont ask yourself if its a cont bet, and simply lay it down... However, if you catch something (dosent have to be a monster), you can flat call... especialy with postion, then you'll se what he'll do on next street. Normaly, if they bet, you are beaten and you know it for cheap, if they check, you can bet and take the pot. reraising just to see if you are ahead, can be really expansive. As jason said you have to know a few things about your opponents habbits before going after him with nothing!

KJ

Here's an example from our home game last week:

Villian is a solid tournament player, recently won $8K in a live event.

Blinds 50/100

7 players remain out of 9
Jason UTG w/ 2000
Villian SB w/ 1850

Jason is dealt

jason raises to 250, 4 folds, Villian (SB) calls, BB folds.

Flop (600):

Villian pushes all in, jason calls.

Villian shows

Jason's hand holds up to knock out villian.

Now how the hell could I make a call like that? Because this was my 2nd home tourney against villian (I beat him heads up to take the 1st one). I had watched him play 2 such flops, one with 77 where it came all undercards, and one where I don't know what he had where he was the first raiser. On the flop where he had 77, he made a bet of about 2/3 the pot (with a flush draw on board). He took his time, and was obviously looking to get some more $$$ into the pot. The 2nd time he moved in on the flop OOP, and looked somewhat relieved when he didn't get the call.

So his overbet screamed "A-high" (I also thought he made it way too strongly, so I had a tell as well to back up the read).

Now, if this hand had occured without a read, I muck my hand pretty quickly . . . .

Originally Posted by Jason75

Here's an example from our home game last week:

Villian is a solid tournament player, recently won $8K in a live event.

Blinds 50/100

7 players remain out of 9
Jason UTG w/ 2000
Villian SB w/ 1850

Jason is dealt

jason raises to 250, 4 folds, Villian (SB) calls, BB folds.

Flop (600):

Villian pushes all in, jason calls.

Villian shows

Jason's hand holds up to knock out villian.

Now how the hell could I make a call like that? Because this was my 2nd home tourney against villian (I beat him heads up to take the 1st one). I had watched him play 2 such flops, one with 77 where it came all undercards, and one where I don't know what he had where he was the first raiser. On the flop where he had 77, he made a bet of about 2/3 the pot (with a flush draw on board). He took his time, and was obviously looking to get some more $$$ into the pot. The 2nd time he moved in on the flop OOP, and looked somewhat relieved when he didn't get the call.

So his overbet screamed "A-high" (I also thought he made it way too strongly, so I had a tell as well to back up the read).

Now, if this hand had occured without a read, I muck my hand pretty quickly . . . .

NH Jason ...

Not so much a continuation bet though but a pure bluff

Originally Posted by Jason75

Here's an example from our home game last week:

Villian is a solid tournament player, recently won $8K in a live event.

Blinds 50/100

7 players remain out of 9
Jason UTG w/ 2000
Villian SB w/ 1850

Jason is dealt

jason raises to 250, 4 folds, Villian (SB) calls, BB folds.

Flop (600):

Villian pushes all in, jason calls.

Villian shows

Jason's hand holds up to knock out villian.

Now how the hell could I make a call like that? Because this was my 2nd home tourney against villian (I beat him heads up to take the 1st one). I had watched him play 2 such flops, one with 77 where it came all undercards, and one where I don't know what he had where he was the first raiser. On the flop where he had 77, he made a bet of about 2/3 the pot (with a flush draw on board). He took his time, and was obviously looking to get some more $$$ into the pot. The 2nd time he moved in on the flop OOP, and looked somewhat relieved when he didn't get the call.

So his overbet screamed "A-high" (I also thought he made it way too strongly, so I had a tell as well to back up the read).

Now, if this hand had occured without a read, I muck my hand pretty quickly . . . .

Would be interesting to hear his thought processes too though for making the play .. perhaps this would give a clue as to your image to him under similar circumstances.