The Donk Bet – When Is It Appropriate?

[KelownaPokerDad (Matt)]

Okay… we’ve all been there… raising pre-flop in middle position, with three callers… only to have the small blind lead out on the flop. Now I know this is rarely seen at mid to high stakes, but very common in 1/2 and 1/3 NLH.

At lower stakes, I interpret this as strength by a less experienced fishy player. Depending on sizing, how connected my hand is with the flop, and how many people there are behind, I may opt for a raise to isolate. Obviously situation dependent.

I’m not advocating for donk betting, but are there any instances where it’s needed to protect my equity against drawing hands? Should I wait for the PFA to lead out on the flop and check-raise in most instances?

Thanks!

[John S]

I think at lower levels it can mean a lot of things. In my experience, it’s usually more often like a blocker bet than pure strength. People catch a little bit of equity and are trying to take control of the pot and draw for a bit cheaper. Sure, some guys will donk a flopped straight or two pair, but I think most low level players are more likely to try and check-raise a monster than lead. I guess it depends on where you play.

I hope Brad weighs in on this because it’s interesting. Personally, I’ve donked flopped sets, draws, and complete air (board comes 3 low cards, pretty sure villain has big ace, so I bet to take lead and not let a high card come off on the turn for free). For me, this is often villain dependent and I often exploit certain player types. I’ll do this when I play 2-3, but this isn’t something I do often when I play 3-5.

I think there’s certainly a spot for it in your arsenal, but it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. It’ll be interesting to see what others have to say about it.

[Author]

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