$6 NLTRN: Two frustrating folds
 

The first one was early in the tournament, so nothing too specific in terms of a read, but my opponent seemed a bit on the aggressive side of average (but definitely not a maniac). Should I just check the river? My plan on the river was to bet/fold and hope to get a little more value.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (2 handed)

Hero (t1430)
BB (t1570)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t60</font>, BB calls t40.

Flop: (t120) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t85</font>, BB calls t85.

Turn: (t290) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t160</font>, BB calls t160.

River: (t610) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t300</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises to t1265</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1210

In the hand below (against someone else), my opponent was aggressive, but not a maniac. Was my play okay?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (2 handed)

Hero (t1555)
BB (t1445)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t200</font>, BB calls t100.

Flop: (t400) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t275</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises to t1245</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t950

Re: $6 NLTRN: Two frustrating folds
 

Hand 1: Bet more on turn (220ish). Your bet of 160 is barely above half pot and your hand is relatively vulnerable.

Hand 2: I call this river against an aggressive opponent. Villain will show up with air or a worse 7 often enough for you to be +ev here.

Re: $6 NLTRN: Two frustrating folds
 

Greg, thanks for your thoughts.

In Hand 1, I was actually thinking that my bet of 160 was good since I was looking for a call...I guess I underestimated how vulnerable my hand was. Also, should I have checked the river?

As far as hand 2, I assume you mean you call the flop. Also, would you fold this against most players, or only against really tight ones?

Re: $6 NLTRN: Two frustrating folds
 

[ QUOTE ]
As far as hand 2, I assume you mean you call the flop. Also, would you fold this against most players, or only against really tight ones?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, not sure what I was thinking when I posted that.

I would definitely c-bet this flop, but I would usually just make it 200 in most situations. When villain shoves, I still think you are ahead of his range as he will show up with air/draws/worse 7's/ace high a pretty good % of the time. If you are c-betting frequently, villain probably doesn't believe you caught a piece of this flop.

Re: $6 NLTRN: Two frustrating folds
 

Thanks, I c-bet a very high percentage of the time, so I should've called. Also, I'm surprised you said you only bet half-pot in this spot. Do you vary the size of your c-bet depending on the flop? I generally try to make my cbets between 2/3 and 3/4 pot (at all blind levels, although sometimes I push flops when the pot and blinds are big relative to my stack).