Two hands against CO who runs at 28/14 over 200 hands, pretty decent but not great or anything. Effective stacks $100.

Hand #1.

1. CO raises to $4, I reraise to $13 with [Jd], blinds fold he calls.
2. Pot $26, flop [8c][2d]. He checks I check.
3. Pot $26, turn comes . He bets $20 I call.
4. Pot $66, turn comes . He bets $40, hero?

Hand #2.

1. CO raises to $4, I reraise to $13 with [8s], blinds fold CO calls.
2. Pot $26, flop [7h][3d]. He checks, I bet $20 and he calls.
3. Pot $66, turn comes . He checks and I shove in for $66 more.


My biggest questions are the flop check in hand #1 (assuming everyone folds if they get CRed there) and the turn shove in hand #2.

Is reraising to $13 the standard in both these?

Why does everyone want to CB in hand 1 so much? What does it achieve?

It folds out worse hands (PPs, missed SCs/high cards) and gets called by better hands (sets, AK, AQ).

If you check, there's a good chance he'll bluff into you with a worse hand or call a bet with one at least.

1: Either CB or raise the turn. On the river, you have no idea where you are, and you don't beat much unless it's a semibluff/bluff. I don't mind the flop check to trap, but you have to take control back on the turn.

2: Bet less on the turn, maybe 40. I know you're pot-comitted, but it's easier for them to call or raise if you're not just shoving (even though it's equivalent to YOU to bet 40 or shove).

I'm okay with a flop check. I prefer the CB, but I don't think a flop check is inherently bad.

I think I would check the flop if I felt my opponent was a poor postflop player and probably bet it if I thought he was decent.

If you check the flop, you risk losing control of the hand on later streets when scare cards come (like what did). If your opponent is tricky and liable to try to steal there, etc., I probably want to make more of a move on the flop.

Also, I might bet the flop against a lot of looser post flop players. There are lots of guys who will call your flop bet with QQ/KK because they want to see if you'll fire again on the turn. Do I think floating OOP is a good idea? No, but lots of players do it (esp. at FTP).

Hand 1: Betting the flop should probably be your standard line but if youre 60/40 bet/check thats probably fine. Especially if you are willing to take this line occasionally with AK/AQ. As played in this hand I'd call turn and fold river without a decent read.

Hand 2: Looks great. Generally, bet a little smaller on the flop - 2/3 to 3/4 is good, though i usually lean towards 3/4. You have about a pot size bet on turn which is perfect for semi-bluffs and value pushes. Obv. you should be taking an identical line with overpairs, 2 pair/sets and strong semi-bluff hands.

Preflop raise looks fine. I usually like a 3x raise in position while tacking on another BB or two OOP. But anything in that area is good.