when big slick misses with only a few players

[BadBatsuMaru]

Button is pretty loose/passive. I'm just not comfortable with these situations. Is it correct to just go full-tilt until someone else shows some aggression? In this example, I don't know if I played correctly. If it was 3-way, I think I would check and fold the river. Would that be a mistake? I think that 3-way there's a very good chance that one of my opponents can at least beat high-card A, and a bet probably won't scare them both out often enough to make it the correct play. But heads-up, I'm just not sure. Is it too aggressive to bet the river when you know they're probably going to check it down? I mean, a loose/passive opponent will probably only fold if he totally missed, right?


Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, CO folds, Button calls, SB completes, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button calls, SB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls, SB folds.

Turn: (4 BB) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

River: (6 BB) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

Final Pot: 8 BB


In situations like this, I will generally check the flop with many opponents. If the flop is ragged and it's only one bet back to me, I'll pay to see the turn. With only 1 or 2 opponents, I'll usually fold to a bet or bet out if nobody else does. Is there a problem with this?

[jrz1972]

Your hand might very well be best on the flop and turn, so betting is fine on those streets.

I'm not sure what betting the river is supposed to accomplish, though. The only time you get called is when you're beat. A loose-passive player (who will call you down with bottom pair) is going to get this one right about 100% of the time. He's always calling when he's ahead and always folding when he's missed whatever it was he was drawing to. So your river bet just throws away an extra BB when you're losing but gains nothing when you're winning. If you were HU with a competent player, who might lay down a small piece of the board it would be a different story, but that player probably would have folded the turn if he was going to fold at all.

[fairness]

loose/passive aka calling station. these guys don't get bluffed out easily.

[Piiop]

A loose passive player isn't going to show you aggression, so you can't be thinking you're ahead until shown aggression.

I would check the river and fold if he bets.