[Buzz]

Hi Big Dave - Villain called after the flop and called after the turn.

I'd guess Villain was drawing after the flop, and probably not for the board to pair. If so, then Villain missed on the turn and was still on a draw.

(...a draw for what? My best guess is probably low.)

Now Hero checks the river. Villain probably correctly puts Hero on a missed low draw. It wasn't clear that Hero didn't flop a set and turn a full house until Hero checked the river! But now suddenly (because Hero checks the river) Villain can put Hero on a missed low draw.

And so Villain bets the river. Call it betting position. Call it betting the void. Whatever.

True, it's possible Villain could have been setting a trap on the turn. However that would be an unusual way to play a strong high hand. (You'd expect Villain to raise on the third betting round with such a hand, hoping to make it expensive for Hero to draw for low.)

Even without the tell, I'd guess Villain was probably using position on the river hoping to out-play Hero. But the tell and Donger's logic fall right in line with that guess:
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He instantly bet when I checked, which is info I should have probably included in the OP. This didn't really make sense; he should need a little time to consider a value bet on this board with any hand that he wasn't capable of raising with on the turn (barring QQ or retardo slowplays).

[/ QUOTE ]

At any rate, imagine Villain's chagrin when Hero check-raises!

Nice play, Donger!

Buzz