I've been reading up about these to get a better understanding of them and how to use them effectively but I'm having a hard time with them. I don't see how these bets can be a profitable play at all. What I have been reading says that you make a blocking bet to "block" your opponent from making a big bet on the river and forcing you to make a tough decision. But if you make a small blocking bet, doesn't that mean more often then not your opponent has you beat as you want to see a cheap river essentially? Anybody that can clear this up for me I would appreciate it.

u only make a blocking bet when you have an average strength hand where you dont want to call a big river bet to someone who you potentially put on a draw maybe or who you suspect has a similar strength hand.

your basically trying to slow them down so you dont have a big decision to make. At the same time you wouldnt be doing this if you know your beaten you do this when you feel your range could very well be ahead.

Your right against a good player they will see it as this and re-raise you so you fold.

I would advise picking a value that you would be happy to call a river bet of and bet this amount yourself - if they re-raise then your folding

They only work sporadically and in certain situations are not a great idea, they tend to work for me when I have top pair top kicker and my opponent has called a bet on the flop and turn with a safe ish board

I don't know about you guys, but I look for these sorts of blocking bets on the river when I'm in position. If there is a strong player and he makes a weak bet on the river into a 3 card flush or an over card AND I havn't seen him make this sort of bet with a STRONG hand, I will more often than not re-raise the guy in this position. I'de say, in this position against a reasonable player, this play will be profitable. NEVER against a calling station, cuz he's probably raising weak, and calling with all sorts of hands and won't lay down. But against a stronger player, I think this is an +ve play. What does everyone else think?

whenever someone makes a blocking/probe bet at me i raise it probably 99% of the time

first thanks for all the good posts but im still shaky on this. in the created HH above you say that sets, str etc... would more then likely raise where as AJ will just flat. but AJ beats your hand so the thing i'm not getting is that although your seeing a showdown for cheap, aren't you losing $ in the long run since you more then likely not getting called by a worst hand?

blocking bet = myth

each aand every bet you make, you should know whether you are making that bet for value or a bluff...

most blocking bets are just weak bluffs... this play doesn't even exist, don't do it...

 

Originally Posted by lordxixor101

I think you have to think about blocking bets in context.

Let's create a hand history here.

Hero 5,000

Villian 7,000

Blinds 50-100.

Hero is the cutoff, Villian button. Hero has A8diamonds, and raises to 300. BB calls.

Flop Ac-10c-4s

you bet 350, villian flat calls

Turn 10h

checked to you again. You believe its unlikely he has a 10 now so you bet again, and are called (400 this time).

Now, river is 2c. So, unlikely he hit any draws here, but you could be beat. But, you don't neccessarily want to fold this hand, since you are likely ahead. You would happily check it down though now.

This is a situation where a blocking bet works. Stick out a smallish bet, it makes it much harder for him to bluff the flush draw. He also isn't likely itching to raise a bigger ace here, since an AJ isn't that strong at this point, so he likely flats you. Sure, he is raising sets and 2 pair (and the straight), but those raises likely show that you are beat.

So, the blocking bet is used when you think you could be good, but you want to see the showdown as cheap as possible.

ummmmmm no

even if this were a legit concept... you don't make blocking bets in postition (you say villian is button but then make no mention of him calling, you say it is HU with the bb

the river action in this hand would be a thin value bet...

if you are folding should you get raised, then it is not a value bet, it is a bluff... I don't know how to explain this any further

what??? plz explain it further. Say a final board is k2237 you have KQ and valuebet after betting all the way against a Loose passiv player. Suddenly he pushes at you and you figure he has been slowplaying a 2 or a fullhouse. Does this make the bet a bluff? wtf are you talking about. explain further plz

blocking bets exist

here's a perfect example of one

Full Tilt Poker Game #6418931205: $22 + $2 Sit & Go (Turbo) (48818138), Table 1 - 80/160 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:49:43 ET - 2008/05/14
Seat 1: THEKING3586 (1,350)
Seat 2: stoyven49 (2,571)
Seat 3: dupie (1,880)
Seat 5: Pally94 (1,440)
Seat 7: Stevemcqq (1,250)
Seat 8: Chip Warmer Dre (2,079)
Seat 9: word1985 (2,930)
word1985 posts the small blind of 80
THEKING3586 posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to word1985 [Ad 6c]
stoyven49 folds
dupie has 15 seconds left to act
dupie folds
Pally94 calls 160
Stevemcqq folds
Chip Warmer Dre folds
word1985 calls 80
THEKING3586 checks
*** FLOP *** [Qh Ks 7d]
word1985 has 15 seconds left to act
word1985 checks
THEKING3586 checks
Pally94 checks
*** TURN *** [Qh Ks 7d] [As]
word1985 checks
THEKING3586 checks
Pally94 bets 280
word1985 calls 280
THEKING3586 folds
*** RIVER *** [Qh Ks 7d As] [Kc]
Chip Warmer Dre has been disconnected
Chip Warmer Dre has reconnected
word1985 bets 360
Pally94 folds
Uncalled bet of 360 returned to word1985
word1985 mucks
word1985 wins the pot (1,040)
The blinds are now 100/200
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,040 | Rake 0
Board: [Qh Ks 7d As Kc]
Seat 1: THEKING3586 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 2: stoyven49 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: dupie didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Pally94 folded on the River
Seat 7: Stevemcqq didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Chip Warmer Dre (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: word1985 (small blind) collected (1,040), mucked

plz plz plz be a level...

jeezuz PD tilts me

well we aren't talking omaha8 here... and my head hurts after reading your "logic" behind the ever so powerful blocker bet

imo thats not a block bet.....just a very thin value bet.....like waco said idk if there is such a thing as a block bet.

ps a bad value bet imo....what is calling u that u beat QJ? thats about all

psssss.....why not check....let him bluff with 79 or whatever the fk the idiot has and call his river bet....much more +ev in the long run

the blocking bet is used so your opponent cannot bluff you on the river giving you a really tough decision with what might be the best hand. its basically a value bet in the sense that you just want to get called, and your hand could be best, or you might still lose but at least you got to see his cards for a very minimal price. i once read that if youre going to do a blocking bet, that you should bet the amount you would be willing to call if you were to check/call on the river. I think this play is under used, and is almost necessary to be able to showdown hands since most people think being checked to on the river means they have to bet 100% of the time