AA, play on the river.

[Gorvacofin]

Poker Stars, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LegoPoker (http://www.legopoker.com)Hand History Converter (http://www.legopoker.com/hh)

Hero (BB): $25
UTG: $10.35
CO: $80.75
BTN: $24.50
SB: $4.75

Pre-Flop: A/images/graemlins/heart.gif A/images/graemlins/club.gif dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG calls $0.25, CO folds, <font color="red">BTN raises to $0.50</font>, SB folds, <font color="red">Hero raises to $1.50</font>, UTG folds, BTN calls $1

Flop: ($3.35) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 Players)
<font color="red">Hero bets $3</font>, BTN calls $3

Turn: ($9.35) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 Players)
Hero checks, <font color="red">BTN bets $2</font>, Hero calls $2

River: ($13.35) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 Players)
<font color="red">Hero bets $3.25</font>

Results: $13.35 Pot ($13.35 Rake)
Hero showed A/images/graemlins/heart.gif A/images/graemlins/club.gif and LOST (-$6.50 NET)
BTN showed and LOST (-$6.50 NET)

First hand of the session. Is the block bet on the end a good idea, and if so, should I be betting more or less? Comments on other streets would be appreciated.

[Bluegrassplayer]

Block bet here is a pretty bad idea in my opinion seeing as how anyone with a straight will raise you.

[Spurious]

You can actually check/fold river if he bets any reasonable amount.

Your blocking bet is burned money, as bluegrass said.

[TilTandWiN]

[ QUOTE ]
Block bet here is a pretty bad idea in my opinion seeing as how anyone with a straight will raise you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isnt that the point of a blocker bet - it makes the situation clear - a straight will raise you, but you will stop alot of river bluffs/bets that you will have to stress over. I like the bet - I would bet 1/2 the pot to not look so weak (so that a wise opponent wont raise your bet).

I think that a 1/2 pot bet could be seen as a "value bluff" as you can fold out some two pair hands that beat you, but get calls from some worse hands, but im not sure - as I am new to the "value bluff" idea.

EDIT: Just realised that I read the board wrong - didnt think that the straight got made on the turn - check fold river to big bet would be best. I cant see him value betting a worse hand - but it is a nice spot for him to bluff - if villan seems passive/weak then dont call bet, but mabye call if he is very agg - some stats would be usefull.

[Gorvacofin]

My thinking was, 'Only a straight will raise my bet on the river, so a bet will clarify the situation and lose me less than check-calling if I'm beaten.' But I guess this is bad thinking, because I shouldn't be check-calling on this board anyway?

[thac]

Preflop needs to be a lot bigger. 2.25 or 2.5 to adjust for the limper, minraiser and us being OOP. On the turn I think you need to bet/fold. Check/call turn doesn't tell us anything about where we're at in the hand and we most likely will face another bet to get to showdown.

[Bluegrassplayer]

That might save you money, but I don't see how. 2 pair is calling your bet, but also checking the river, and a straight is raising your river bet. So I think by betting you are just throwing your money away.

I c/f or c/c depending on the bet and read.

[argy1182]

Increasing PF raise is a must. make it 2.50.
Flop play is fine.
Turn c/c is worthless - just puts more money in a pot when we don't know much about the hand. Throw a bet out there and see what happens. I'd make it about 2/3 pot.
river blocking bet - it's a method, but we could have developed this hand better on the turn to determine a better course of action.

[Somnius]

There are tons of draws on the turn and you've been aggressing, keep firing...you probably have the best hand, and if you don't and he raises the turn, depending on who he is you can assess whether you need to fold, most likely will I'd wager. If he doesn't raise turn then I'd check this river and assess whether it's worth a call. The problem with the blockbet on the river, is that a lot of people can realize it's a bockbet and raise you out of your hand, you're basically inviting a bluff, IMO you're better off seeing his river bet, and if you have any sort of read on him whatsoever you should be able to get a quick picture of his range and whether it's an ev call.

[Profish2285]

Bet/fold the turn. If he calls, bet/fold the river.