1/2nl 6max... turn straight, awful river, line check

[Lord_Strife]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($200)
Hero ($94.20)
UTG ($253.05)
MP ($378.40)
CO ($196.05)
Button ($113.50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, 7.
[color=#666666]2 folds</font>, CO calls $2, Button calls $2, [color=#666666]1 fold</font>, Hero checks.

Flop: ($7) A, T, 8 [color=#0000FF](3 players)</font>
Hero checks, CO checks, [color=#CC3333]Button bets $2</font>, Hero calls $2, CO folds.

Turn: ($11) J [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
Hero checks, [color=#CC3333]Button bets $8</font>, [color=#CC3333]Hero raises to $24</font>, Button calls $16.

River: ($59) A [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
Hero checks, [color=#CC3333]Button bets $18</font>, Hero calls $18.

Final Pot: $95

[CastlesMadeASand]

Edit: never mind i like a check calling a small bet on the river better.
also, lead turn.

[steel108]

This is perfectly fine. You can fold to such a small bet on the river

[carnivalhobo]

id lead turn 100% here

as played make it 34 on the turn

[jessanders]

I agree. Too risky to lead out as a semi-bluff on the flop, an Ace and a 10 fell, which to me are the two worst cards to try to bluff. I thought the $2 on the flop was a really bad attempt to buy a pot from position, I may have put in a little raise there, say to $8 or so, trying to represent 10-8 or something of that sort, but I have no line on how the button plays to know if he's the kind to make that bet with an Ace or not. Well played, vn check on river.

[Lord_Strife]

The problem with leading the turn in my opinion is that it looks VERY strong even to the average player. I like the check/raise on the turn because it can be interpretted several different ways. Maybe I didn't quite bet enough, but the turn is really where I'm not sure what I should be doing. In a 3 way $11 pot how much do I lead out if I choose that line?

[jessanders]

I see what you're saying, but anytime I hit what could be a second-best hand on the turn, particularly the low-end of straights, I lead right out. There are too many cards that can come on the river that will beat you, a heart, a K or Q or 9, or the board pairing.

You have to find out now, not later, if your hand is good. If you lead out and get raised, then it comes down to judgement, but you've done your part.

Check-raising is a much "stronger" looking move, I think in this position, than leading out is.

I'd try to lead out with enough to deny any drawing hands, small enough to get someone with a second-best hand (A-2, Q-10, J-10) to call, and a small enough to get someone with K-Q to try and raise you off of what they think may be a drawing hand.

This is a tough line to use, especially since so many low-stakes players have set values of what a hand is worth.
i.e. "An open ended draw is worth $10, a flush draw is worth $12, top pair is worth...", and they don't pay attention to the odds.

But remember, just because THEY don't KNOW they'd be making a mistake calling, say, $8 with a flush draw into an $11 pot, they still ARE making a mistake, and if they make that mistake consistantly, they're going to lose money in the long run.

So, yeah, I'd probably lead out with about $8. It's strong enough to (it should) get people to fold draws, but not too strong to get someone to fold 2-pair or top-pair.

If I knew much about the button, b/t/w, I'd put him on either a full house or a flush by the river, but he could very-well just have trips, or nothing. I don't know how he plays, but that would be my read.