(NL50) Good spot for blocking bet on river?

[JoshNjuice]

No read on villain. I just stacked another player last hand (KK > AKo, all-in PF). I've only been at the table for maybe 7 hands or so.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Button ($30.15)
SB ($8.70)
BB ($133.90)
UTG ($78.20)
Hero ($95.75)

Preflop: Hero is MP with T/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls $0.50, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $2.5</font>, Button calls $2.50, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG calls $2.

Flop: ($8.25) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $5.5</font>, Button calls $5.50, UTG folds.

Turn: ($19.25) 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: ($19.25) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero ???

Should I block this river for about $5 or $6?

[BevillTheDevil]

id probably just c/f the river. Our hand sucks i dont really wanta invest any more money on it. Even if we bet like 5/6 villian could bluff us off w/ a missed diamond draw. And if we get called i think we are beat almost always. TBH i dont see what a block accomplishes here?

[Yaboosh]

I gotta think an average player at these stacks bets the turn with a J. The flop was so ridiculously draw heavy that I think that is his most likely holding.

I kind of like a check/call of a reasonable bet and expect to be good a majority of the time.

[JoshNjuice]

[ QUOTE ]
id probably just c/f the river. Our hand sucks i dont really wanta invest any more money on it. Even if we bet like 5/6 villian could bluff us off w/ a missed diamond draw. And if we get called i think we are beat almost always. TBH i dont see what a block accomplishes here?

[/ QUOTE ]

Blocking keeps us from having to c/f to a busted FD or SD. I think we get called by 77, 88, 99 a reasonable amount of time here.

I'm still tryinig to learn more about when it's appropriate to block the river, but this seemed like a good spot to me.

[BevillTheDevil]

well if you think villian has like 77-99 then through in a like 1/2 value bet not a blockin bet

[JoshNjuice]

[ QUOTE ]
well if you think villian has like 77-99 then through in a like 1/2 value bet not a blockin bet

[/ QUOTE ]

77-99 isn't villain's entire range here. It's part of his range that I think would call a block, even if we're ahead. He could also have a busted FD/SD (in which case he's folding to the block) or a Jack or better Ten (so he's likely to only call a block, but would probably value bet if checked to - in which case a block would save us money) or something big like JT, in which case he'll raise and I'll fold.

I'm saying a block is $5 or $6, but estimating his value bet or bluff would be 1/2 pot (~$10) or more. Then I save money when I'm behind a Jack or better Ten, make money when I'm ahead of 77-99 (assuming he would call with that, but wouldn't value bet it if checked to), lose money to busted draws (assuming they will fold to a block, but bluff if checked to) and save money when against big hands that would raise if I bet, but value bet if I check.

All that logic feels like a push to me (without looking at the math) except I get to decide the river bet size by blocking. The only scenario where I cost myself money by blocking is when villain would have bluffed with a busted draw if I checked to him. (That's assuming my other option is to check/call a 1/2 pot bet on river)

Also, I said I think my block will get called by 77-99 a reasonable amount of time here. I'm not so sure I get the same call rate if I value bet 1/2 pot or so. Even if I think I'm ahead of 77-99, I think a straght value bet is a bad idea here because he's not calling that big a bet enough while I'm ahead for it to be profitable.

So, where is my logic off regarding blocking bets? Thanks!

[BevillTheDevil]

i dunno $5 is sooo weak here...if you think your ahead then i dont see why not bet like 1/2 and gain more value...if you think your behind just give up seems EZ to me. I dunno such a weak bet may save you money when he has a weak J but loses value when he/she has a weaker 1 pair hand. If your blockin and think your behind then thats awful but if you think we can gain value then id try to maximize it and bet more than $5...sounds like your just blockin strictly so villian doesnt bluff us or bet larger w/ hands that beat us, seems pretty bad to me