Second Barrel: When to Continue Bluffing on the Turn

In poker the second barrel is an important element of an aggressive strategy, involving a consecutive bet on the turn following a continuation bet on the flop.

In this article, we will explore when and why it is advantageous to use the second barrel as a bluff, based on statistics and specific situations.

Table of Contents:

- Fold Frequency to a Second Barrel

- Opponent’s Went to Showdown Frequency

- A Scary Turn Card

- Improvement on the Turn

Fold Frequency to a Second Barrel

One of the key factors in deciding whether to fire a second barrel is the likelihood that your opponent will fold directly on the turn. In Hand2Note 4, this is represented by the stat Turn Fold to Continuation Bet.

The higher this value, the more often your opponent is likely to fold on the turn, making it more profitable for you to attack with a second barrel.

We opened from the Button with J8 suited and received a call from a regular player in the Big Blind. On the flop, we made a bluff continuation bet, the opponent called, and an Ace came on the turn. To decide whether to continue bluffing, let's refer to the opponent’s statistics in Hand2Note 4.

From the player’s popup, we see that they rarely fold to a continuation bet on the flop, doing so only approximately 1 out of 3 times on average. Due to their wide flop calling range, they get to the turn with a variety of mediocre hands, yet they fold to a second barrel 58% of the time.

This frequency ensures that our turn bet is profitable in the long run, making the decision to fire a second barrel a sound one.

Opponent’s Went to Showdown Frequency

Not all hands end on the turn, so when considering a second barrel, you should have a plan for the river as well. Another important factor here is the opponent's WTSD (Went to Showdown) stat. Players with a high WTSD tend to be reluctant to fold and are willing to call bets on both the turn and river.

Against such opponents, it's better to abandon the bluff on the turn. Conversely, players with a low WTSD are more likely to fold on the river without a strong hand, making them prime targets for barrel bluffing. This is especially effective against tight opponents who get to showdown less than 25% of the time.

They may resist on the turn with medium strength hands or draws, but if they don't improve on the river, you can force them to fold by betting the third barrel.

We made an open raise preflop from the Early Position with A9 suited, and got called by two opponents - a tight regular on the Button and a fish in the Small Blind.

On the dry flop T22, with two cards of the same suit, we hit the nut flush draw and made a continuation bet. The regular on the Button called, and the fish folded. The turn brought a 4, which did not change the board structure.

I expect that on the flop, the regular called our bet with a fairly strong range, specifically pocket pairs from 33 to 99, Tx hands, and stronger, as well as any flush draw combinations.

With this range, facing a second barrel from us, the opponent will very often continue to resist on the turn, but that doesn’t mean we should automatically refrain from betting.

Hand2Note 4 HUD shows us that over approximately 1600 hands, the player reaches showdown only 19% of the time. Against such an opponent, it is a strong play to make a second barrel with a plan to continue bluffing with a third barrel on any river card. This line effectively represents a strong hand and applies maximum pressure on their medium-strength hands.

A Scary Turn Card

Another favorable situation for a second barrel is when the turn brings a "scary card" for your opponent. These are usually high cards ranging from a Ten to an Ace.

Such cards are considered scary because they fit well into both your preflop opening range and the range with which you made a continuation bet on the flop, likely consisting of high pairs and high cards.

On the other hand, a high card on the turn rarely improves your opponent's hand since they would likely 3-bet preflop rather than just call. Additionally, part of the high cards remaining in their range on the flop would likely have been folded in response to your continuation bet.

For a second barrel, it’s not necessary for the turn card to actually improve your hand. It's more important that it fits your perceived range. If the turn brings a card that logically fits into your expected range, your opponent may fold fearing an improvement of your hand.

In Hand2Note 4 reports, I selected situations where I made an open raise preflop, followed by a continuation bet on the flop, and then fired a second barrel on the turn. Also, using a custom filter, I specified that an overcard came on the turn to a dry flop with a high card of T or higher.

In the “Faced Next” report, we can see that in these situations, I took down the pot with a second barrel on the turn in 42% of cases.

Then I adjusted the board parameters in the custom filter, selecting scenarios where a turn card was not higher than 9, completing a straight or a flush:

The frequency at which opponents fold to a second barrel decreased to 35% in these situations. This is because on such turn textures, players will have more made hands and draws with which they will call.

The more the turn card suits you, the less it suits your opponent, and the more you should lean towards firing a second barrel as a bluff.

Improvement on the Turn

If the turn does not bring a dangerous card to the board, this is not a reason to abandon a second barrel. Some turn cards will improve your hand, increasing your equity.

For example, if you still don't have a made hand on the turn but have picked up a flush draw or straight draw, this is an excellent situation for a semi-bluff.

You simultaneously pursue two goals. Firstly, you can force your opponent to fold and win the pot without showdown on the turn. Secondly, if your opponent calls the second barrel on the turn, you still have a chance to make a strong hand on the river and win a large pot at showdown.

Many players mistakenly play their draws passively, even though betting would be the better decision.

In Hand2Note 4 reports, I filtered scenarios where I opened with a preflop raise, made a continuation bet bluff on the flop with air, and then picked up a draw on the turn to continue bluffing with a second barrel:

Comparing the Action Profit indicators of betting versus checking, we can confirm that in the long run, it is much more profitable to fire a second barrel in such situations than to check.

Skillfully applying the second barrel on the turn as a bluff in appropriate situations will significantly increase your winnings in poker.

By utilizing statistics and Hand2Note 4 reports, you can effectively analyze your game and make more informed decisions. Remember, poker is a game of information, and the more data you gather and analyze, the better your results will be.