Why you have to bet the river.

[Entity]

I've been seeing too many posts recently advocating checking the river on non-threatening boards with premium hands (KK and AA especially). Each time I see that advice, it makes me die a little inside. It's OK to check the river sometimes -- like when you've seen big aggression, it's not head's up, and your hand isn't likely to be the best the majority of the time (AA on a KKQ board, with an opponent who 3-bet your turn raise). But most of the time, you should bet the river. Bet the river. Bet the river.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (7 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/club.gif. MP2 posts a blind of $0.25.
UTG calls, MP1 calls, MP2 (poster) checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button calls, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls, MP1 calls, MP2 folds.

Flop: (10.40 SB) Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
UTG checks, MP1 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button raises</font>, UTG folds, MP1 folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (7.20 BB) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

I was in check-call mode here, figuring the Button had to have a Q.

River: (7.20 BB) 5/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button raises</font>, Hero calls.

What? No bet on the turn? Well, then I'll BET THE RIVER.

Final Pot: 11.20 BB

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows Td Tc (one pair, tens).
Button shows 8h Ah (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins 11.20 BB. </font>

Bet the river, folks. Don't be scared.

Rob

[Surfbullet]

This is a better example of "Bet the turn so you don't fall for the free card play."

But yes, bet the river as well /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Surf

[Entity]

[ QUOTE ]
This is a better example of "Bet the turn so you don't fall for the free card play."

But yes, bet the river as well /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Surf

[/ QUOTE ]
Ok, I'll give you that. But the point remains: bet the river. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rob

[Nottom]

Plus sometimes your bluff turns into a value bet ...

Total number of players : 9
Seat 1: DrPeter ( $150)
Seat 2: Knock1out ( $40)
Seat 3: nott0m ( $286)
Seat 5: BRIANSL ( $100)
Seat 6: jbowman420 ( $226.50)
Seat 7: powerquest ( $160.50)
Seat 8: waynekool ( $166)
Seat 9: Dav318 ( $138)
Seat 10: JERSEYRU ( $117.75)
powerquest posts small blind (1)
waynekool posts big blind (3)
BRIANSL posts big blind (3)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to nott0m [ Kh, 9h ]
Dav318 folds.
Knock1out folds.
nott0m raises (6) to 6
BRIANSL folds.
jbowman420 raises (9) to 9
powerquest folds.
waynekool folds.
nott0m calls (3)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 5s, 4h, 6s ]
nott0m checks.
jbowman420 checks.
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 3s ]
nott0m bets (6)
jbowman420 calls (6)
** Dealing River ** : [ Th ]
nott0m bets (6)
jbowman420 calls (6)
** Summary **
Main Pot: $47 | Rake: $2
Board: [ 5s 4h 6s 3s Th ]
DrPeter balance $150, sits out
Knock1out balance $40, didn't bet (folded)
nott0m balance $312, bet $21, collected $47, net +$26 [ Kh 9h ] [ high card king -- Kh,Th,9h,6s,5s ]
BRIANSL balance $97, lost $3 (folded)
jbowman420 balance $205.50, lost $21 [ Qc Jc ] [ high card queen -- Qc,Jc,Th,6s,5s ]
powerquest balance $159.50, lost $1 (folded)
waynekool balance $163, lost $3 (folded)
Dav318 balance $138, didn't bet (folded)
JERSEYRU balance $117.75, sits out