Fourth street sanity check

[Derek in NYC]

This has happened to me twice in my current session, and I need a check on my play. I dont recall the exact flop, but I can make something up that was pretty close. I'm on the button with J /images/graemlins/club.gifJ /images/graemlins/spade.gif. MP player calls, I raise, SB folds, button calls, limper calls. (3 players, 6 SBs)

Flop comes T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif3 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. Checked to me, and I bet. SB calls, limper folds (2 players, 4 BBs)

Turn is the A /images/graemlins/heart.gif. Checked to me. I should... bet, I assume? Nobody checks here, do they? I of course was checkraised. I called, and called a river bet, and lost to an ace.

Just a bit frustrated, and want to confirm mine is standard play. What drives your decision to bet? The two flush draws and risk of freecards? The fact that nobody has shown aggression? The fact that a checkraise here could be a heart draw from a tricky player? All of the above?

I assume if you call the checkraise, you call down the river too, yes?

[applej25]

Yeah standard, the problem when an Ace falls is that it is one of the most likely holdings since we love our aces. So when people do continue, alot of times they have the Ace. Just unlucky man.

[Derek in NYC]

I have been getting checkraised a lot in this position, so I'm paying 3 bets for a showdown, instead of one that a check behind, call a bet approach would cost. I just wanted some confirmation that Im not needlessly losing bets here. Stupid question.

[Alexthegreat]

It depends on how many players are still in the pot..I'm not stoked about getting checkraised, but against 3 or more players, I'll bet because I don't want to give a free card to 3 or 4 different hands. If you are checkraised, I would be fine with mucking it.....Against one or 2 players, I check behind and call a river bet...I'm not too worried about giving a free card in that situation, because the chances of it hurting me are much less....

It's also player dependant, of course.....barring any reads though, those are the lines I would take

[applej25]

[ QUOTE ]
Against one or 2 players, I check behind and call a river bet...I'm not too worried about giving a free card in that situation, because the chances of it hurting me are much less....


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't like this at all. Why on earth would you play passive like this against LESS opponents? There are still 2 other overcards that you really don't want people to have a free shot at and a possible flush/straight draw. Not to mention a random card that may give them trips or a junk 2 pair. The move is definitely to bet, but like you said folding to a raise is fine.

[Alexthegreat]

Well, if you are going to call a checkraise and a river bet, you shouldn't be betting.....It's costing you 3 bets every time someone hits their ace....

If you check behind, it'll cost you 1 bet everytime they hit.....

You'll also pick off every bluff or underpair that bets into you on the river...

I wouldn't be checking behind in EVERY situation, but I prefer this (a lot) to calling down after a checkraise....

[applej25]

You cannot assume you will be check-raised and I said I would probably NOT call check raise. It seems like your style of play for this hand is very loose passive.