Ever feel trapped? Like someone just put a move on you, and there is nothing you can do about it? You are caught like a deer in headlights, sitting there in the middle of the road, as the Mack truck gets closer and closer. You don't know what to do so in your panic you freeze, and make the call. BAM! You just got run over and the dealer is scraping you and your chips off the table. Curiosity killed the cat and it can kill your bankroll as well.
What is a trap? Well there are many types but I think the most common types of traps most people will agree are the check raise and the slow play till the raise on the river. With the check raise, the trap part of that really being the check because they know you are going to bet or at least they are hoping you are. They spring the trap when they raise.
With the raise on the river trap they have let you bet into them the entire way wanting you to get more and more pot committed every step of the way. They are in effect setting that trap from the start of the hand or flop, when they believe that no matter what cards are to come they have you beaten.
So what can you do about these situations? The answer is …"It depends". Yep back to that old saying about poker being situational. A lot of the times in these situations I go with what my gut tells me. And my gut is based off what type of player they are and their past plays. It is also based off of what type of player they think I am. So ask yourself, "What is my table image?" Have I played a lot of hands? Do they think I am loose? Do they think I am over aggressive? Do they think I am a tight rock? Really you need to be fully aware at all times what kind of table image you have, your table image can help quickly answer what you should do when someone has just trapped you or is acting like they are trapping you.
The Check Raise. So you have just been check raised. Do you run like a scared school girl crying to mommy about how a mean boy said you were fugly? Or do you fight back? Most of the time you run… maybe not like a scared school girl but run none the less, do some Hollywood and act like you are having a hard time laying your hand down when in reality you know your 7-3 off is no good when the flop is K-Q-J. But when is your 7-3 off good in that situation? I am not saying it is ever really good, but I am really asking is when is your opponent just trying to make a move on you? Is it possible that your opponent has the same crappy hand you have? Why certainly it is. It is also possible that he has a better hand than you but is afraid of the flop just as much as you are but wants to see if you really have the nuts cause he is sick and damn tired of you betting and raising every pot and by god he wants his pocket 8's to win a hand and is tired of laying down to you. So this is where your table image comes in to play if you are seen as a loose player its best to fold cause that person is expecting a call and or knew that you would bet/bluff thus checked to you. If you are a tight aggressive player, they likely think you will fold so you should re-raise, then watch them crumble. Let's say instead of 3-7 you have A-Q With action to come on the turn and river making these daring moves will often make you money or more importantly save you money. How is this? Well instead of calling all the way to the river you are finding out just how strong that guys hand is by re-raising. Making the re-raise is one bet instead of 2 for the turn and river thus if they stick to their guns you can fold and save that bet. Basically, if they call or re-raise then you need to be on your toes and look to fold. However a lot of times if you are on the draw it will buy you a free card, as when the turn comes they will check to you and you can check also.
Slow playing trap. Well you set yourself up for this one, your image at the table is that of a bettor, you had better be aware of that. The player in the pot with you is checking and calling your bets. And then check raises or leads out with a large bet on the river. Beware because there is a good chance he found his mark and is taking you down. How can you identify this type of trap? In my experience, it is normally the tight players that pull this move, they have waited and waited for that perfect hand, they raised preflop and you the guy that likes action and is aggressive called his meager 2-3xBB raise, that rock hates you and is determined to teach you a lesson. He flops top set and checks to you, you bet and he just calls. Calling you have noticed is not something that this guy does, he is a rock, he checks on the turn and you do to if you are smart. You get that final card for free. The rock will either check again hoping for you to bet or he will lead out not wanting to miss a bet and wanting to capitalize on one of the very few hands he has played all night. However another type of player attempts this as well. They are the aggressive players, they have been betting and raising all night, then they truly get a monster and think "I am going to slow play this hand against that other aggressive player in the hand with me." But you are to smart for that you know that his checking instead of leading out with a bet is not the norm for him, and this has set alarm bells off in your head. If a normally over aggressive player checks after making a raise pre-flop. Well you better check also. If you decide to bet after they check then they just call be wary, an aggressive player hates just calling unless they have a made hand.
Getting trapped is a part of the game, it will happen to everyone at some point if not several times in one session. Realizing it and responding accordingly are very important in minimizing the damage to your bankroll. Sometimes like a rat you have to just gnaw your leg off to save the rest of yourself, bloodied and crippled but alive to play another day.
