Interesting top pair turned 2 pair in big blind

[thesharpie]

Paradise Poker 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.35.
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP1 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, CO (poster) checks, Button calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, UTG calls, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button calls.

Flop: (10.80 SB) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds, MP1 folds, CO calls, Button folds.

Turn: (6.40 BB) J/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls.

River: (8.40 BB) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 11.40 BB

No reads. Just sat down at the table. I thought the CO might think I'm bluffing and might call with a pair of aces or something, so I bet-folded the river.

Main things I'm wondering is the river and preflop.

Preflop I'm wondering whether it's beneficial to check, as a check raise is going to be more effective if I hit the flop. My preflop raise might scare someone in last position so I bet out, even though I'd prefer to check raise. Then again they might think I have something like a high pocket pair and will probably bet with an ace. Should I try for a check raise on the flop, and should I even raise preflop?

[Bizot]

personally i think that is a bad lay down. pot is decent size i make a crying call here he could be trying to get you to believe him 2 pair is a monster hand i can't lay it down for 1 more bet.

[thesharpie]

Maybe check-call is better then?

I remember reading bet-fold was a good move on the river when 4 to a straight is on board if you have something like 2 pair, but the example I read was at least 4 handed, not heads up. Maybe I should just check call heads up as it's more likely he's bluffing.

Not to mention he probably wouldn't raise with a 9 in case I had a king, even more reason not to lay down. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[SteveL91]

Lately, I've been checking AJo in the BB with 4+ limpers, but I'll raise AJs regardless. Considering that you raised PF, I don't think you can really look to C/R the flop. Who are you thinking is going to bet for you?

If you check the BB, then going for the C/R has more viability considering the texture of the board. You could also bet out after checking in the BB and more often than not, you'll get plenty of callers, simply because they don't tend to give you much credit for having a strong hand.

I think the river play really depends on what you put the CO on. Considering he's just been calling you, it's most likely he's drawing. But, as there's a plethora of draws, it's hard to say whether he's drawing to a flush or straight. Considering the river Q/images/graemlins/club.gif completes two different 4-card straights, I'd probably be more inclined to check/fold or check/call the river. I don't know that bet/call is necessarily bad because CO may very well have been chasing a flush or looking to showdown his pair. Regardless, I can't see folding for one more bet.

Edit: Typed bet/fold when I wanted bet/call.

[Aaron W.]

Bet-fold is the sort of play you want to reserve for *AFTER* you have a read. If you're not sure about a player, it is generally better to check-call rather than bet-fold. This way, you *NEVER* make the mistake of folding a winner on the river (lose an entire pot), and the worst that can happen is that you miss a value bet (lose 1BB).

In this case, I lean a towards bet-calling. I think you'll see worse hands call often, but you won't see worse hands bet it for you.