Is it just me or does the whole concept seem far too exploitable?

How often do you guys tend to "block bet" with a huge hand? It's something I've very very very rarely seen and it really makes me paranoid about block bets, I just feel like it telegraphs a hand wanting to see a cheap showdown and invites a raise.

Obv I'm looking to do it with some strong hands in the future for this very reason, but just wondering how much success people seem to have with these bets.

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Seems like if you wanted success with block bets you would have to vary the amount quite a bit. I think an average block bet is like 1/2 the pot or something? Anyway I think that most of the time that you FEEL you have to make a block bet you are probably already screwed.

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KRE8R probably has about seventy college funds in his NL5 roll.

It's feels like checking and burning a bit of money at the same time.

i always seem to bet 1/3 fwiw...

Yeah really. The only thing I could say is that it keeps people from bluff betting the river. But honestly, how often do people REALLY bluff bet the river?

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KRE8R probably has about seventy college funds in his NL5 roll.

You have to know the player you are using it against and know they won't try to exploit it.

Or use it in spots where nobody can raise you without a hand. like on 3flush boards nobody is turning top pair or 2 pair into a bluff, everyone is always worried about the flush.

it depends on the situation and having a good read on ur opponents, i wouldn't go block betting blindly

can someone explain what a block bet is? I'm new here.

A block bet is a bet made on the river where you usually bet an amount smaller than a standard value bet in an attempt to get villain to just call instead of bet.

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Lots of good rakeback options at http://www.raketherake.com/?refer=RTR25126

KRE8R probably has about seventy college funds in his NL5 roll.

To add to kre8r's post, it's often done when:

- You're out of position.
- You have a hand you want to see a showdown with, but you don't want to pay alot for the priveledge.
- You think the villain will often bet when checked to and may bet up to pot size.
- You don't think the villain will bluff raise that often.
- You think you can get some value out of worse hands that will call, that would have otherwise folded to a larger bet.

As for size, I think 1/3 to 1/2 pot is fine.

My question though is, even though you do it against opponents less likely to bluff raise, surely these guys are eventually going to wake up and realise it's marginal hands wanting to see a showdown? With the games getting more aggressive these days and (at the lower stakes anyway) if it looks like a block bet it usually is, will we not see a ton more bluff raising in the future?

Am I right in thinking a standard TAG will pick these bets apart far too easily for them to be profitable?

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thanks for the help, but that is just WAY over my head.

I feel like such a poker dumbass.