50NL River Call

[confusedandlost]

Did I make a mistake on calling this river? I thought villan was trying to bluff me as he either had a str8 or junk and I didn't think he would chase after a gutshot on the flop. I thought he was making a play. <font color="white"> </font>
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LegoPoker (http://www.legopoker.com)Hand History Converter (http://www.legopoker.com/hh)

BB: $63.50
UTG: $24.25
CO: $101.90
Hero (BTN): $118.45
SB: $53.15

Pre-Flop: J/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/spade.gif dealt to Hero (BTN)
UTG folds, CO calls $0.50, <font color="red">Hero raises to $2.25</font>, 2 folds, CO calls $1.75

Flop: ($5.25) 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif T/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 Players)
CO checks, <font color="red">Hero bets $3</font>, <font color="red">CO raises to $8</font>, Hero calls $5

Turn: ($21.25) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 Players)
CO checks, Hero checks

River: ($21.25) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif (2 Players)
<font color="red">CO bets $20</font>, Hero calls $20

Results: $61.25 Pot ($61.25 Rake)
CO showed 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/club.gif (a pair of Queens) and LOST (-$30.25 NET)
Hero mucked J/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/spade.gif and LOST (-$30.25 NET) <font color="red"> </font> <font color="white"> </font> <font color="white"> </font> <font color="white"> </font> <font color="white"> </font> <font color="white"> </font>

[iheartponeez]

Okay, so the board is pretty dry on the flop, if he's drawing maybe he's holding AK (and wanted to limp it around as a trick?) or maybe he's on J9 or something, but drawing hands seem like a really small part of the range here, especially on such a dry board. What's confusing is how when a card that actually completes a draw (the J) comes out, you call him. I think you should fold on the flop, just realizing that either he has a hand and is beating you or he's drawing to one, and if so, any card that pairs your hand is actually scary for you.

[vixticator]

Fold river and standard. Don't go calling large bets when you hit a middle pair on the turn as a general rule.

[iheartponeez]

And here's the other thing: If you think he's bluffing, don't just call on the flop, reraise him and find out. If he calls or pushes over you, shut down. But if you DO call, and he fires again, you might want to give up.

[yegon]

If I would have seen villain play a couple of hands like this I might be tempted to look him up. Betting TPNK that aggressively makes me think he might do the same with medium pair or as a bluff with air. So with reads I could see myself calling the river, but folding is the standard play.

[ajmargarine]

You thought he was making a play and called...nothing wrong with that and there's nothing we can really help you with. It's called going with your gut, your poker instinct. It's something that develops subtly over time the more hands you put in.