Protecting Top Pair or Pot Control?

[Checkov]

(reconstructed from memory, sorry I had hand history off for some reason)

Went something like:

.25/.50 nl Full Tilt

LB ($40)
BB ($30)
UTG ($50)
UTG +1 ($30)
Hero ($50)
Villain ($60)

No reads on Villain.

Hero hand: Ah, Ac

UTG limps
UTG+1 limps
Hero raise to $2.50
Villain calls $2.50
LB folds
BB folds
UTG calls $2.00 more
UTG +1 calls $2.00 more
Pot $10.75

Flop
3s, 8s, Th

UTG checks
UTG +1 checks
Hero bets $8
Villain calls $8
UTG folds
UTG +1 folds
POT is $16.75

Now Hero and Villian are heads up.

Turn
3s, 8s, Th, 2c

Hero bets $11
Villian pushes all in.

I have $28.50 remaining. Villain has me covered. I call.

Villain shows As,Ks, catches a spade on the river to win with nut flush.

Questions:

On the turn should I have checked for pot control? He might have checked, then value bet on the river when he caught his flush. If so, I could have made a decision on the river to fold to a straight or flush board thereby reducing my loses, or by calling. But from his perspective on the turn, with two overcards and the nut draw flush he probably would have made a signficant bet on the turn if I checked, but then again I could have made a decision at that point. By the way I played this hang against an aggressive player, I am builing a pot which in most cases I'm not going to fold.

Of course this would apply if my opponent had actually had a hand like a set or two pair, by keeping the pot manageable I can then reduce my losses but am I capitlizing on my wins - but are wins with top pair worth capitalizing on?

This is a dilemma I am constantly facing in cash games online. Protecting top pair or keeping the pot small to call or fold. Help.

[Gelford]

DRY boards where villian either has you crushed or drawing to five outs = pot control

WET boards = protection


So here, protect yourself (and in the process charge that draw, no use in checking and then paying if he hits and get nothing if he misses)

[Kasane]

What Gelford said.

[wulfpacker21]

[ QUOTE ]
DRY boards where villian either has you crushed or drawing to five outs = pot control

WET boards = protection


So here, protect yourself (and in the process charge that draw, no use in checking and then paying if he hits and get nothing if he misses)

[/ QUOTE ]

sums it up pretty much