Is this a Steal On The River

[etgryphon]

Hey Guys and Gals...

Here is one for you.

UB, 30+3, 10ppl, 3 left, BB 100

Reads:
Button: pretty solid starting hand, doesn't play well after the flop.

SB: LAG, Up and down in chips, I have folded to some aggressive bets on the turn and river.

Button 3500
SB 2500
BB(Hero)4000

Dealt: Q3o

Preflop:
Button folds, SB completes, Hero checks

Pot: 200
Flop: Q 5 2 (rainbow)
SB checks, Hero checks

Pot: 200
Turn: 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif
SB checks, Hero bets 200, SB calls

Pot: 600
River: K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
SB bets 600, Hero ?

What do you think? Bet Flop? Call Reraise? I had paid off an earlier hand when he was low because I thought he was bluffing and reraised him.

-Gryph

[wiggs73]

I call the river bet. Also, I would have probably bet the flop.

[11t]

I think putting in a flop sized raise on the flop would have been your best option, you have a weak hand with no kicker. If he calls then checks again I would put in another large raise, if he called that THEN put in a large raise on the river I would think you are beat and he was slow playing a large hand unless you feel he is capable of making such a play.

I would call the river bet though and pay him off if he caught a king. Your check on the flop then bet on the turn looks like a steal and he most likely thinks you are making a real estate play. I could see him betting the 600 on the river just to put you to the test.

I think re-raising on the river would be a poor play for two reasons. Firstly if he is making a play at the pot and you re-raise him he will be forced to fold and you have won the pot, however if you call him and you have the winning hand you still win the same sized pot. Secondly he will call you if he has the king or two pair and you have now crippled yourself with that re-raise.

I think the check on the flop here is what put you in such a difficult position.

[lorinda]

BB 100
BB(Hero)4000

My first thought here (and read this the right way, not as a disrespect to the question) is "Do I care if this is a steal on the river?"

I'm quite happy to fold this and let him bet at me later when I can play a bigger hand the same way at larger blinds.

Lori

[etgryphon]

No offense taken...

I think your point is right on. I still do not like the bet on the flop...I just hate leading with weak kickers. Maybe I should get over it. I think a reraise is the wrong move by any means because you will only get called with a better hand.

It just smelled fishy to me and I figured I have enough chip that it doesn't matter if I lose because I can serve two purposes:

(1) If I call and lose, I've lost 900 chips so that I'm down to 3100 chips. I've just shown him a crying call play and boosted is confidence to get all of his chips and now his has 3400 chips and I'm sure I can out play him.

(2) If I call and win, I just boosted my chips by 900 to 4900 and I've shown to the other players that you have to have something to play back at me. This will give me the ablility to steal blinds.

Results:

I called the bet and he flips over 43o for the busted straight. I rake the chips in and proceed to steal the blinds and make some plays and win the tournament. I think I took the right line on this one because it didn't impact my chip stack too much.

-Gryph

[syka16]

IMO against loose players that will call down draws and mid pair, you should bet top pair regardless of your kicker.