AK hand I just can't forget

[superpoe]

I just can't forget about this hand which happened a few weeks back. I had been at the table for about 30 hands and read the MP as a typical loose-aggressive PP player.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (5 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP calls, <font color="666666">3 folds</font>,

Flop: (5.33 SB) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP raises</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.66 BB) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (6.66 BB) A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP calls.

Final Pot: 10.66 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 10.66 BB, between Hero and MP.</font>

My usual line against this type of player is to call down unless I imporove if raised on the flop. Is this usually the standard play? Comments appreciated.

[balkii]

[ QUOTE ]
My usual line against this type of player is to call down unless I imporove if raised on the flop

[/ QUOTE ]

On a flop like this, that sounds about right. On some flop though, a 3-bet is in order. Usually paired flops; people love to bluff at those. Also there is a smaller chance your opponent actually hit on a paired flop.

In this hand, I don't really like the river checkraise. You risk him checking behind with a hand that would call, and if he was semibluffing a flushdraw, well, you're gonna get 3-bet.

I lead this river and call a raise.

[pstripling]

I don't like the river raise. My choice would be to bet the river. If he is the typical loose player he could have called preflop with J /images/graemlins/diamond.gifT /images/graemlins/diamond.gif or K /images/graemlins/diamond.gifJ /images/graemlins/diamond.gif. Both of which just turned into the flush. The check raise opens you up to a 3 bet.

The other side of the equation is your check allows him to check a hand like QJo when the ace appears. If you get raised, you can call or fold (if you think he has the 7 or flush) and you have invested the same 2 bets to see the showdown instead of 3.

If you know your player I think this play is fine, and the fact that you didn't get 3 bet on the river means you probably won, but I believe the river check-raise is -EV with this type of board.

[superpoe]

When I decided to check-raise the river, I did it with the intention of folding to a 3-bet. After looking at the hand again, I agree that leading the river is the better play. My question then is, if I lead the river, do I call a raise?