Am I losing my nerve? (KK when an ace falls.)

[SamIAm]

Button's a little loose and passive. I THOUGHT I had the eye of the tiger and the thrill of the fight, but kicked myself for checking the river. Was that cowardly, or was the button's flop raise enough for me to lose my nerve?

Should I imagine aces and clubs under the bed whenever a scare card comes? Thanks for any comments.
-Sam

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Button calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (7.50 SB) J/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, UTG+1 folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, Button calls.

Turn: (6.75 BB) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

River: (8.75 BB) A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

[Fat Nicky]

The way the hand played out, you have no reason to believe the A helped your opponent. Bet out the river.

[Chairman Wood]

Bet this river 100% of the time. You can fear an ace or clubs but that still doesn't give you an excuse to not bet this river.

[7ontheline]

I agree. There is not reason to think that he raised on the flop with a naked ace, so bet the river. Most players if they raise the flop with a draw will probably raise the turn if they hit the draw, I think, so you're probably safe there too. If he's really passive, consider folding the river if you get raised.

[BruceF]

Button raised post-flop, indicating either a draw (flush or str8), jacks, a set or 2 pair. You correctly bet the turn and he called, so I'm now thinking he's either slowplaying a monster to the river (depending on how he's been playing), or is just on a draw.

If he's on a draw, you have to bet the river, since that card didn't help him. By checking the river, you're inviting him to bluff you, which it seems like he did.

BTW, what did he have?

[Mike]

I don't think button being loose and passive is as important as knowing whether button will play weak Aces to the river, and raise with a draw in a small pot.

The flop raise is pretty standard with the board suited, no one should want a flush draw to get to the river cheaply, especially with a small pot. I do not find many players who will raise when they are on a draw in this situation.

Seeing you led the round betting out on all streets and reraised the flop, why should button place you on a hand that will lose to a weak Ace? A Flush could be a concern, but unless you know better, button was not likely to raise the flop on a draw in a small pot.

That could leave the button with a Broadway but that's unlikely. Then you have to wonder if button flopped a set. The turn play lack of action told you know button did not have a good hand.

Getting through all of that you are possibly against two pair - AJ, A8, but I doubt it because of the preflop play. You should have won the hand, or button is totally clueless about how to play his/her hand. I would have bet the river.

[StellarWind]

The river depends on your opponent:

Good player - checkcall. The river has deprived him of all hope. Even KQ for you is now money. No worse hand will call and no better hand will fold. Hope he bluffs.

Tight/passive - check and consider calling. Same as above but you may get lots of free showdowns with the worse hand.

Joe Party - bet and probably fold.

[Kaz The Original]

If you put your opponent on a draw, you should NEVER bet the river, unless you think he'll call if he picks up a crappy pair. You check to INVITE him to bet and you call, assuming you think there's a fair chance he would either bluff or it looks like he missed.