Checking behind on the river...
 

So I find myself in a certain habit now and again. Checking behind on the river. Take a look at this hand:

No reads or stats on this villain.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

UTG ($10.50)
Hero ($30.65)
Button ($12.05)
SB ($13.50)
BB ($33.90)

Preflop: Hero is MP with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $1</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls $0.90, BB calls $0.75.

Flop: ($3) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $2</font>, SB calls $2, BB folds.

Turn: ($7) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, SB calls $4.

River: ($15) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks.



Now if I'd had AQ or AK, or possibly AJ, I would have made a final value bet on the river. But with a kicker or ten or lower, I find myself getting gun shy on the river.

Is this a leak? Am I leaving more money on the table than I would be throwing out (do you think?) Generally I imagine that I'd only get consistently called by bigger kickers, but some of the terrible calls I've seen make me wonder.

Advice?

EDIT: So of course I'm a big idiot who didn't see that his kicker was meaningless, but what if that 2 wasn't paired? Do you make the bet even if the kicker plays?

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

The board paired, you have a K kicker and you're probably betting to split at worst.

Bet

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

I am not sure what difference it makes if you have AQ or AJ here as youre now splitting with all aces. Just bet and hope he makes a mistake.

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

Yep, I'm an idiot here.

But can we also talk about a more general situation where my kicker actually plays? Then what do you do?

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

check turn bet river is my sop

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

I would probably check behind a river if your kicker played. I would also bet more on the turn, like 5 or so. It may seem like it is a small difference but the small differences add up IMO. If I had AJ/AQ I would probably half pot river.

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

If board didn't pair and you think this hand comes down to kickers- I would probably check behind on river. You're obviously not folding him off his ace and is possible he holds a better kicker

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

Betting the river is typically better than betting the turn from a simple equity standpoint. On the turn, villain has some equity, hence the expected value is lower. On the river, he has no equity, hence the EV is higher.

Also too im betting this river. Value town por favore.

Re: Checking behind on the river...
 

i am a weak tight chicken and tend not to vbet a hand like a10 when i have been called twice. Obviously this is read dependent, but the majority of the time I think a vbet here is a little too thin to be profitable