Bluffing the river

[topspin]

I bet the turn figuring (1) I doubt I can get a free card if I check, and (2) with any spade and a Q as outs, pot equity probably justifies it. I debated checking through the river or bluffing with 1 final bet. With 4 other players around, in retrospect perhaps I ought to have checked, but I was hoping others were on draws too.

Paradise Poker 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+2 calls, <font color="666666">2 folds</font>, MP3 calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, Button calls.

Flop: (10 SB) T/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, Button calls.

Turn: (7.50 BB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, Button calls.

River: (12.50 BB) 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 folds, MP3 folds, Button calls.

Final Pot: 15.50 BB

[Kips Bay Kid]

If your intention was to scare everyone out, I don't see it happening - if your intention was to make the draws fold - congratulations!

[InchoateHand]

Against this many opponents, check-fold the river. These people aren't going anywhere---remember, they are loose passive? Only people who beat you will call.

But I think you already know this.

With 4 callers, your turn bet is indeed for value-- 34:12 vs. 5:1. Thats a solid play. If you were raised you could happily call.

[antidan444]

After a month-long run in NL (let's not talk about it), I'm just diving back into the limit pool today. In other words, I'm probably rusty, so bear with me (and assume other posters' comments have more importance) ...

I have no problem with the turn raise. The pot's plenty big, your pot equity is good and if they all call (as they did), you make money off your bet.

However, you've whiffed on the river, and there are still four opponents. Soembody has something, and somebody will call, and your A-high is no good. You did everything you could do. Time to save that last BB for another hand.

[topspin]

Yeah, the river bet seemed pretty stupid shortly after I clicked it, and I was basically looking for confirmation. Quit donating money on the river into big field, check.

If the river were short-handed (say, heads-up or at most 2 others), given my aggressive line the whole way, would that affect my decision to fire one more shot in the hopes of folding out a crap hand like bottom pair, or is that just wishful thinking given the loose players I'll likely encounter?

[Entity]

Your turn bet is fine. Your river bet is not.

[antidan444]

Heads-up I probably fire one more and if I have to show a bluffed loser, I make sure I fire out with my big hands for the next hour or so since whenever I show a bluffed loser people start calling me down all the time. That way even if I get caught I can use it to my advantage.

Two opponents, it gets close ... usually I'd give up, unless I know they either like to chase draws or can fold made marginal hands on the river.