UB - bet the river?

Here is another hand from last nights .10-.25 NL game. I limp on the button with 87o. SB raises to $1.10. 2 callers so I also call.


Now the 1st time I played the SB, I classified this player as crazy. In last nights game the player was playing reasonable.


Flop is K87r.


SB bets $2. One other player calls. I have flopped bottom 2 pair. I raise to $10. SB calls. Other player folds.


Turn is K.


SB checks. I check. My 2 pair is shakey at best now.


River is 8.


SB checks. I have a full house. Although it seems unlikely SB would check a King I decide to check since I can't imagine I would get called. I had $13 left and he had me covered. He shows ATs and I take down the pot. He commented that he didn't believe me. I guess my classification wasn't too far off.


So check or bet the river? Any other comments on the hand?


Ken Poklitar

ohKanada@hotmail.com

Check the river every time, unless the player is likely to call with A high or something like JJ. Really he can only call with a K or an 8, so putting all your money in hoping for a split if called is not wise.

Ken,


I'll interpret that your description of this guy is loose. On the flop ask yourself how much does he bet if he has top pair, middle pair, bottom, pair, draws, overcards, or does he check raise with top pair, etc. Since, you said he was crazy, I'll assume that he was loose with his raising standards.


I think your play on the flop was fine, but on the turn I would consider betting probably the rest of your chips which was $13, since you did not get reraised on the flop.


On the river I would have bet a small amount that you think he would call.


Furthermore, watch how he plays other pots on the turn when he's got something and when he does not. If this was a tight player like "Rounder" I would have played it the same as you.


Good Luck


Mark

I was there. When the King paired you had to slow down. Your 8s and 7s turned into 8s with a bad kicker. You played the hand the way i would have.

The reason I classified him crazy was on several post-flop situation I saw. Although he did call a lot of hands and called lots of raises his raises normally meant he had something.


So since he did raise out of the blind and he did call my big flop raise, I can't see how betting the turn is correct.


Now I have less of a problem with betting the river since anyone who would call a big raise on K87 flop with AT may call the river bet with many pairs.


Ken Poklitar

ohKanada@hotmail.com

This is why i am an advocate of raising but not reraising with bottom 2 pair. So many things can go wrong on the turn (particularly on a coordinated 2 tone flop, where many cards can kill you) that you are better to call a raise and reassess on the turn.

Ken,


My reason for betting the turn is so I don't get bluffed off the hand, especially heads-up against a loose agressive type opponent. If the money was deeper for you, I would bet half the pot acting like I want him to call.


Look at it this way, you'll probably lose the $13 anyway. If you make a full house and he makes it too. But, he might fold the turn which you shouldn't mind.

Mark,


Certainly valid points. If a blank hits the river and he bets 13, do I call or fold? If I plan to call then I probably should bet the turn. If I plan to fold then checking the turn is correct.


Ken Poklitar

ohKanada@hotmail.com

Your right about a coordinated board but i think that you must make him pay if hes drawing. if hes got that 910 on the K87 board do u want to let the turn card cheap?

I was also there. After the hand I praised Ken on the play. When he raised the flop, I knew he had bottom two and was cheering for him. Then the turn king hit, but he played it right on. By the way my username is shutupanddeal.

Ken,


I just wanted to mention that there is approximately $26 in the pot after flop bets. So, your $13 is only half a bet now. Against a loose player, I think it should be an easy bet because of the pot odds you are getting.


In this situation, I think he would have reraised you on the flop if he had a king. But, your $10 bet probably surprized him and he could have thought that you were trying to knock him off his hand.


Good Luck


Mark

I think there's very little chance this player would check a king on the turn and the river. So I'd bet some amount on the end, maybe $10? Maybe $13? I'm hoping he'll call with an ace or even a queen. Crazy players do that, you know.


Matt