lol, sorry.
I generally play NLHE MTT, usually about 300-500 entrants.
I find this tends to happen in the later stages when I make a big bluff or a big bet with a mediocre hand/draw.

Originally Posted by Mr.McJ

lol, sorry.
I generally play NLHL MTT, usually about 300-500 entrants.
I find this tends to happen in the later stages when I make a big bluff or a big bet with a mediocre hand/draw.

If you dont know how to respond to it, then simply dont put yourself in a situation where you have to - its always better to semi bluff especially in NL I find since with a drawing hand like a four flush you can still outdraw your opponent. I wouldnt say Bluffing is too profitable in MTTs until the real late stages where semi bluffing is much better....

The important thing with the check raise is that what could they possibly have that would make it profitable to check raise - if they have a top set on the flop, then this would be one reason to check raise if they knew someone was going to bet into it.... although the thing with the check raise is that you have to be careful that they arent check raising to get opponents out of the pot, this would be typical of my style of play especially with 2 players in the pot, a check raise in early position to me signals quite a lot of strength, whereas a check raise in later position shows less strength unless everyone folded around to the check raiser.

Then again if there are a number of players in the pot then a check raise from Late position to me signals great strength, especially if someone checks and then middle position bets, only to get callers around to the guy who raises quite big.

You need to quickly spot check raisers since the best defense against them I find is just to check, they only checked in the knowledge that someone would bet into the pot for them.... if your the last person to act before the next card your giving yourself a free card which the opponent doesnt want and it costs you less chips.
The only other way to counter a check raise is to reraise but make sure your hand has strength, since you want your opponent to get incorrect odds on making that call if he is on a drawing hand, which could be possible... but theres only one way to find out.

Originally Posted by Antneye

I have pulled off a few check raise bluffs, and never gotten caught, but I try it so rarely because you really need to have a strong read that your opponent will fold since its so expensive a move.

These work so much better when there are less opponents in the pot and you know your opponent is likely to fold his Top pair with medium kicker if you reraise him for 50% of his chips.

im guessing check raises signal strong hands more % of the time. maybe 70% strong hand 30% bluff? maybe 60/40 etc...

In the accumulation stage of MTT's before the blinds get so big that half the table is in danger zones, I use check-raises instead of probe bets with pretty high frequency. Betting out with 3 people in the pot will rarely win and when it does it doesn't win much... but a big raise (pot sized after the bet and your call) will rarely be called unless they have a very strong hand (TPTK at the very minimum).

I rarely defend against this play... I don't like to call big bets very often. If someone else is betting a lot of my edge in the hand has evaporated and it's all about the cards, and you'll rarely be that big of a favorite when all the cards are exposes and there's no more action. Of course... if the pot has a good overlay and you have a hand that compare favorably against your opponents range (reasonable against an aggressive player, a monster against a rock) then you have to call. But avoid it in situations where there isn't a big overlay and you don't have a deceptively strong hand.

new phrase for your poker vocabulary: Table image

the way other players percieve you is your table image. if you take down several pots uncontested within a fairly short period of time, an observant player is going to check raise you. you cant have a hand every time, and if he thinks you are just making a stab, he wants to take the pot away from you.

here is something to combat the check raise. start the tournament, and steal a few pots (or, play as you normally would) thus create an agressive, wild table image. now when players try to get crafy it usually gets them into trouble. say you flop a set and you are on the button or something. if its checks to you, bet the pot. make it look like some sort of steal. make SURE you have done this a bunch before. so to an observant player, you are making an ordinary stab at the pot. maybe even bet half to pot if thats what you did normally. hopefully, somebody will raise you, assuming you are on some sort of steal. beautiful, you set a perfect trap. now, come over the top. dont call, as with an agressive player that could indicate strength. raise about the size of the pot, but leave him with at least half his stack so he can still play back.

usually, they wont play back, but doing this not only further increases your table image (you probably wont show the hand down) and you take a great pot. i would say as much as 50% of the time you are going to show the hand down, because alot of the time people are going tostart checking top pair to you and hope to set a trap.

and if you can sucessfully pull that off, that my friend is some good poker.
however, if you are bluffing there is really nothing you can do once check raised. just toss the hand, not worth risking the tournament on some wild play like a re re raise with nothing.