River Decision

[muddydog]

Do you just check behind here or take a stab at the pot? Play any streets differently? The reason I bet small at the pot rather than checking behind is I thought I would take it down if no one else had an ace, should I bet bigger or just check behind?

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

UTG ($26.80)
MP ($29.35)
Hero ($49)
SB ($71.65)
BB ($46.05)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls $0.50, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $2.5</font>, SB calls $2.25, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls $2.

Flop: ($8) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, SB calls $4, MP folds.

Turn: ($16) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $5</font>, Hero calls $5.

River: ($26) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero...

[muddydog]

OK no interest here?

I know on the surface this is a basic hand but after the weak bet on the turn is there enough FE to fire at this river? If so how much do you bet?

[ama0330]

Preflop good. On the flop you are do or die - betting 1/2 pot is spew because it looks so weak. Given that you are 3way in a big pot and the flop is drawy I would be less inclined to cbet here, but if you do want to bet, make it $6.50-7.

Turn call is almost precisely 0EV so its okay, but remember your overcards are most likely not live so you are drawing to the flush only. You need 4.1:1 and you are getting almost exactly 4.2:1. SO thin.

River is a clear check/fold. He almost definitely has something he doesn't want to fold.

[muddydog]

Thanks, I'm slowly working the "aggression, aggression, aggression" strategy I somehow decided was the best at one point out of my system I needed to hear I should just give up on river. On flop I see what you say makes sense, it's a pointless bet. Somehow it seems easier seeing this now than when you're playing four tables.

I think it makes sense to play turn the same way though, if it's 0ev and I can extract anything at all on the river if I hit than it's +ev, no?

[ama0330]

Yes that is true, but you cant be sure that he is going to call given that the flush is quite an obvious draw. He may just shut down and/or make a good read on you.

Remember aggression without thought has another name - "spew". You can't bluff a guy off the nuts, yo.

[f1shermanjim]

I think you check the river. My experience is that if you bet here he is only calling if he has you beat. Way behind or slightly ahead.

Make a note on what he had and wait for a better opportunity.

[orig!naL]

I agree with a lot of what's already been said. PF is good. Bet more on the flop $6-$6.50. Call turn. C/F river.

[DannyOcean_]

It's been said, but bet more on the flop or don't bet at all. Given 2 callers pf, i may just c/f this flop, someone has an A a high % of the time.

[Debaser]

I don't think I could resist raising the turn, that crappy tiny blocking is just begging for it.

If you had any sort of read that villain could fold a bad ace I love betting the river. I'd be more inclined to do it if we had no showdown value, say J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] instead of KQ cos there is some small chance your hand could be good here.

There's half a buyin in that pot there, if he turns over something ridiculous like 66 you'll want to puke.

[youthies]

Bet your standard CB amount on the flop.
Without reads, just check behind on the river.