$100NL - river bluff?

[matrix]

Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.50/$1
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $331
CO: $110.05
Matrix: $114.60
SB: $114.65
BB: $22

Pre-flop: (5 players) Matrix is Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Matrix raises to $4</font>, SB calls, BB folds.

Flop: 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($9, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">SB bets $1</font>, Matrix calls.

Turn: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ($11, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">SB bets $1</font>, <font color="#cc0000">Matrix raises to $8</font>, SB calls.

River: 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ($27, 2 players)
SB checks, Matrix ????

SB is unknown I suspect he has Ax or a busted club draw.

Fire at this river or check behind?

[JustToast]

What am i missing here?

FD or a OESD, one got there, one didnt. Probably half the time you're right, half wrong, so half pot should do it.

btw, I dnt like raising Q3s PF [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[bottomset]

I usually don't steal with Q3s

I generally raise the flop when someone weak leads like this, though it depends on the player

once he calls the turn, I figure he has a piece of this pretty often, and isn't going anywhere

Qhigh beats some busted club draws

[zatacka]

throw preflop unless they are supertight.. and i dont like the shortstack there either

[matrix]

folded to me OTB I raise almost any two cards.

[Tuee]

I'm curious to know why you didn't raise the weak flop bet to pot-size; given that your pf play is a blind steal, wouldn't that be standard? Or is this a float-and-steal play? What exactly was going through your mind with the flop call? (I'm not asking this rhetorically... I honestly want to know.)

Also, wouldn't raising the flop instead of calling it also give you more fold equity on the river vs. a busted draw, assuming that's what you put him on and want to do?

BTW, I'm a big fan of your pooh-bah post on blind stealing, and I too will often raise pf with any two from the button when folded to.

[Yaboosh]

A few things. If you think he is a regular player, not particularly strong, I wouldn't worry about setting up a bluff. You don't need to make your hand look like anything when the other guy doesn't put you on a hand.

There are so many draws out there right now, why not bet against the draw? That is, it is pretty likely he has a draw, why not call the turn and then on if you "draw out" and the river is a blank, make your bluff then. If he has an Ace or a draw, he is not folding the turn, so wait until he has nothing to try to take the pot away from him.

If he is particularly strong, I guess representing an A is important in case he has some combo draw that has showdown value even if the draw doesn't come through, but I guess that comes down to reads.

[gimmetheloot]

probably going to get called by some a-rag hand, but i think he folds missed draws enough to fire like 15 here.

btw, werent you playing 25NL just a little while ago? if so, congratz on the quick move ups.

[matrix]

it's Pokey that did the blind stealing Pooh bah post - and most excellent reading it is too [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I called the flop cos I don't want to CB all the time - and it makes it look like I have a missed AJ or something. I raise the turn after the 2nd donkbet to rep my Ace and figure that he can't call my turn raise without an Ace of his own or unless he's a donk chasing some draw.

[matrix]

[ QUOTE ]

btw, werent you playing 25NL just a little while ago? if so, congratz on the quick move ups.

[/ QUOTE ]

yes - but see the dtbog challenge thread for an explanation of quick movey-uppyness...

If everything goes to plan my Poker year will reboot Sep 1st and I'll start playing NL$100 as my main game with suitable shiny new BR so I'm enjoying playing at $100 now and figuring out exactly how fishy these people are..