Toning Down the C-bets

Recently I've been experimenting a little bit with checking a few more flops behind. There are a couple of reasons to do this: 1) I have a decent hand or draw but I think there's a good chance I'll get check-raised and have to fold, and 2) I think checking the flop allows me to get more value later in the hand.

In both cases, of course, the danger is that you let your opponent hit some gross two-outter he would have folded on the flop, but here are a couple of hands where checking behind worked perfectly:

1) In order to draw:

Seat 3: BB ($190.55)
Seat 7: HERO (MP) ($213)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Ad Kc]
HERO raises to $8
BB calls $6

*** FLOP *** [3h Jc Td]
BB checks
HERO checks (The standard play here with overs and the gutterball would definitely be to bet some where between 3/4 and full pot. But I decided to check because against this fairly tight but not too creative player, there aren't that many better hands I fold out (ATs maybe, 44-99 probably, but they would check-fold most turns too), he could check-raise some of the hands I'm ahead of like KQs or 98, and I lose out on a chance to catch a Q and stack him if he has flopped a set.)

*** TURN *** [3h Jc Td] [Kh]
BB bets $12
HERO calls $12 (Here, too, I think it's a good time to just call. If he has a massive draw, and there are many of them out there, it will be hard to push him off it, and he could easily shove over the top and I'll have to fold. It's also just creating a big pot with a hand that's not that great. He could also have turned the nuts.)

*** RIVER *** [3h Jc Td Kh] [6c]
BB checks
HERO bets $30 (When he checks, I am about 95% positive I have the best hand. The only better hand he would even think about checking is JT. I'm betting to get value out of KQ mostly, or maybe QJ or AJ.)
BB calls $30

*** SHOW DOWN ***
HERO shows [Ad Kc] a pair of Kings
BB mucked [Ah Jd] - a pair of Jacks

I think his call on the river is pretty bad. The only hand he can beat is a complete bluff, I guess with missed hearts. But he has the Ah, making it less likely I hold two hearts. If I had bet the flop, I'm pretty sure he would check-raise and I would be forced to fold.

2) In order to get more value later:

Seat 3: BB ($277)
Seat 7: HERO (MP) ($305.85)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Ac Kd]
HERO raises to $8
BB calls $6

*** FLOP *** [7h Kc 5h]
BB checks
HERO checks (The villain in this hand had even tigher stats than the the villain in hand #1. I think I had him at like 10/5 or something, which is just ridiculous. A lot of players like that are just terrible post-flop. They rely on their tightness, and therefore much stronger cards than their opponents, to win them money on average. When this guy calls me in the big blind, I'm putting him on a pocket pair that's set-mining. In that case, either he hit this board or he didn't. If he did, he'll raise my bet and I'll have to fold, especially this deep. If he didn't, he'll just check-fold the flop.  He's pretty much never got KQ. If he does, it's suited, so there's a 1/4 chance it's KhQh, which he'd check-raise with too. But if I check here and bet a blank turn, he might get suspicious and look me up...I thought with pocket pairs above the 7. The only danger is the hearts on board, but with stats that tight, he's not calling with too many suited connectors. AhQh is the only heart draw I think he'd have. I'll just take my chances and see what develops.)

*** TURN *** [7h Kc 5h] [5d]
BB checks
HERO bets $12 (Beautiful turn card. Makes it less likely that he has a set, and wouldn't seem to help me at all. How could I have a 5 in my hand if I raised pre-flop? Wouldn't I have bet the flop if I had a Q? I must just have A-high, right?)
BB calls $12

*** RIVER *** [7h Kc 5h 5d] [5c]
BB checks
HERO bets $24 (Even more beautiful river card. His check-call on the turn and check on the river means I have the best hand almost every time. The only hand I think he could have that I lose to is AA. I bet to get value out of 88-JJ).
BB calls $24

*** SHOW DOWN ***
HERO shows [Ac Kd] a full house, Fives full of Kings
BB mucked [4s 4h] - a full house, Fives full of Fours

Again, I think his call is really bad. I guess he could reason that I wouldn't value bet QQ-88,66, or a 7 for value, for fear that he has AK and has just been playing pot control, and maybe I would check the flop then fire turn and river with AQ or AJ but...I don't think he is actually reasoning that way, I think he just got confused by my flop check and then his curiousity got the better of him on the river.

It's easy to take this checking-behind-on-the-flop waaaaay too far. Doing so might get you a case of what's known as FPS (Fancy Play Syndrome). Most of the time you want to be just keeping up the aggression and forcing your opponent to come up with a hand. But I do think it's a good way to mix up your play sometimes, especially against certain opponents.

-BRUECHIPS