AJo - Bet river w/ nothing

[Rocco]

Just sat down at the table, so no reads of other players. Should I have continued betting the river? I've shown some strength by raising pre-flop... Think this is one of my leaks... Guess you win this pot uncontested enough to make a bet profitable, right?

Results later...

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. CO posts a blind of $1.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO (poster) checks, Button folds, SB completes, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, SB folds.

Flop: (7 SB) 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG+1 calls, CO folds.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG+1 calls.

River: (6.50 BB) 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks.

Final Pot: 6.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 6.50 BB, between Hero and UTG+1.</font>

[MAxx]

Rocco, I think the best advice that I can give you is this:

You have raised preflop... ok fine. Then bet flop &amp; bet turn on a semibluff and got called by someone who has also called pf raise (by the way I think your play is fine until the River). When the River doesn't improve your hand, it is time to give up your bluff, you have to give some credit to your opponents hand. Most of the time, if the guy has made it this far with you in this situation (few players in pot)... he has already decided to showdown hand. The correct play for you is to check/fold. You may get lucky and have him check as well and your Ace high is good, but that is not going to happen often. You will save yourself a big bet this way, which does make a difference. Couple the fact that he has most likely committed to show down with the fact that he is not going to call you with a worse hand on the river- your bet is futile. Let it go and get ready for the next hand. The only worry is that he does have a worse hand than you and bets b/c you show weakness... but this fear is not significant enough change what is the correct decision.

[Rocco]

Ok, but what if I hadn't raised pre-flop? At these limits (1/2 and 2/4) there are so many people just waiting for the river to complete a straight or a flush. Also, lots of people are chasing the ace all the way down... Against these people you can win the pot with a river bet.

[sthief09]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, but what if I hadn't raised pre-flop? At these limits (1/2 and 2/4) there are so many people just waiting for the river to complete a straight or a flush. Also, lots of people are chasing the ace all the way down... Against these people you can win the pot with a river bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

the the board was more coordinated, check/calling would be correct. but on a board of KQ6 your opponent would have to have JT or maybe 98 to be calling you down. if the flop was 789 2 tone, then you can make an argument for claling since there's a lot your opponent would've been calling you with other than a pair.

[MoreWineII]

If your opponent has a busted draw, you'll win in a showdown. Thus, no need to bet.

Your opponent has put in several bets so far, that 4 on the river isn't going to suddenly scare him off. I think you would be wasting a bet here.

[StellarWind]

You have the nut no-pair. He will not fold a pair on the river after coming this far. You definitely cannot win by betting.

Check the river and hope he checks behind. You are primarily hoping for a worse ace here. I don't expect the type of weak player who would actually have an ace to bluff in this situation. Most players will probably put you on a hand like AQ or JJ/TT and expect you to call a bet. Accordingly I would fold if he bets.

Even if you insist on calling you should not bet because I think a nine or small pocket pair will usually let you slide. Maybe even a queen. The occasional profit when a worse ace calls will not pay for the times it checks through and you lose but save a bet.