This hand really bothered me

[zephyr]

I don't want to get check-raised on the turn so I check behind, and decide to call a reasonable bet on the river. Do you think I'm losing value somewhere?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed)

Hero (t800)
MP2 (t790)
MP3 (t1595)
CO (t755)
Button (t845)
SB (t785)
BB (t615)
UTG (t940)
UTG+1 (t875)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t60</font>, <font color="666666">4 folds</font>, SB calls t50, BB calls t45.

Flop: (t180) T/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets t90</font>, BB folds, Hero calls t90.

Turn: (t360) 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: (t360) 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets t150</font>, Hero calls t150.

Final Pot: t660
<font color="green">Main Pot: t660 (t660), between Hero and SB.</font>

[pshreck]

I think it is pretty clear you are up against something like AJ, KJ, or QJ. The check on the turn would confirm it for me (if he led out with the trip 10's on the flop he was actually defending against straight draws, so his check on the turn makes no sense if in fact he had trips).

However, I like every way you played it. I think he has to fold a lot of hands on the turn when you bet (you called flop then bet turn, he has to think you have trip 10's). By checking, you give him the option to bluff or value bet the river. If he checks again, you can safely value bet assuming no ace came off.

The real question is whether or not you can minraise the river and expect a pair of jacks to pay off. That might be too risky on the off chance he made a big hand (he might have played 89 that way...). I think you played it well.

[Avgard]

I think you need to find out where you are on the flop. Knowing the player is always a big help. Would he bet out with trip 10s, a full house or even quads.

By just calling the flop bet and checking the turn, you are not finding out where you are, you are showing weakness when you have a strong hand and letting him draw out on you. If an ace spikes, you are going to kick yourself. If he bet out on a semi-bluff, holding KQ, he gets two free cards. If he sucks out on you because of free cards, you are going to kick yourself again.

I have heard commentators on TV and experienced myself, that whoever bets first into a paired flop will win it. Is that what he is doing. I think most likely he has AJ or KJ (like someone else has suggested) and you must raise him on the flop to find out. I would raise to about 220-250 range.

There is always the chance that you can run into pocket 1010 or JJ or even A10. To me that is just bad luck (not bad beat). Just like your KK running into AA. Sometimes you are just going to lose, however, it is better to play this hand aggressively than allow him to draw out on you for free.

[tiger7210]

I think you should have reraised him on the flop. Most players would look to check raise that flop if they hit trips there. I would tend to believe he bet out with AJ or maybe KQ. If you are just going to call behind him then when he checked the turn I believe you needed to make a bet of somewhere from 1/2 to 2/3 the pot. You can't give him a free card to see an A or 9 come off that may make his hand.

[spentrent]

Without much of a read, I think I raise SB's bet on the flop. I don't see him calling your pre-flop raise out of position with a T, unless it's AT -- and I don't see him betting an AK|AQ gutshot.

If he plays back, he can have it. But if he's on an OESD, he's not getting a freebie from me.