15-30 hand

[J_V]

In a typical 15/30 online game. Almost all the players are familiar.

MP limps, CO raises. SB folds, I call in the BB with 77.

Flop comes 9-4-2. I check, MP checks. Co bets, I raise. CO calls.

Turn is a 7. I bet. CO calls. By the way, I now have second set.

River is an A. I check, he checks.


Comments?

[J.A.Sucker]

Why not bet the river? You can beat a lot of hands that he will call with. If he does have A-big, you'll get plenty of action in an online game.

I don't think that you can induce a bluff from a hand like KQ on the end here very often. You showed plenty of strength throughout. I think it's better to just bet it.

[Kevin J]

Sounds fine to me. It's reasonable to assume he has overcards which easily can include an ace. So I see nothing wrong with trying to check/raise the river. Unless of course, you think he's aggressive enough to raise, therefore allowing you to make 3 bets.

I wouldn't worry too much about the missed bet. I personally feel that most people don't attempt enough check/raises on the river anyway.

[Kevin J]

Are you factoring in that there's a good chance he might not get called anyway, and that he is risking 1 bet to win 2?

It sure looks like his opponent can't beat a nine. So if he doesn't have an ace, what hand(s) do you expect to call a bet on the river?

[J.A.Sucker]

I understand that he's not going to be called very often, but he will surely get called (or raised) by hands like A9 or AK. Then you can 3 bet.

Note in my original post, that I thought it was unlikely that checking would induce a bluff (or a bet from a lesser hand). So I think that the likeliehood of him getting 2 bets is smallish, unless the guy has a hand like AT, and won't raise that on the river, but he'd bet and call a river check raise w/ it. This is a possibility, but I'd just bet it and see what happens.

Just some thoughts, but I'm Just Another Sucker.

[skp]

I agree with Kevin.

[J_V]

I agree with you, I don't think I should feel bad about the "missed" bet.

It really looked like the player was on an Ace. If he had one, I would have picked up two bets. Someone suggested A-9, which is poor hand reading IMO. I would estimate that 70% of the time I pick up two bets and occasionally I would get him to bluff since its the perfect bluff card. I would hardly ever get three bets here on the river. Doesn't seem like many players are willing to raise the river with one pair.

After this analysis, checking seems like far and away the best play.

I "screw-play" the river more than any other online player. I feel the two biggest benefits of this play are, I get it in, cause I'm practically the only one doing it and if you can make players afraid to value bet the river against you (even though most of the time, there is no need to be afraid) I am way, way ahead of the game.

[Johnny G]

Obviously your set is good. I would have bet agian on the river. I think you can safely assume he's not holding 3/5, 9/9 or even A/A (because he would have been more aggressive on earlier streets) so you really shouldn't have any worries about throwing another bet out there.

[J_V]

Not to be an ass, but as Mr. Sklansky would point out, you shouldn't bet just because you believe you have the best hand.

[Johnny G]

Oh, I'm a student of the check-raise, don't get me wrong there...I guess I misunderstood your posting...yeah, checking the ace like you're scared of it with the intention of raising is awesome...great play...one of my favorites...keep up the good work!!

[J_V]

that's great - "a student of the check-raise." I like that line. I guess I'm not a very good student cause I wiffed it.

[Johnny G]

I guess the key is knowing your opponent and if you felt this guy was the type to bet that ace (assuming he held one which seems clear) than your play was absolutely correct. On the other hand if you have observed that after someone else takes over the betting he turns into a calling/checking station, than maybe it isn't worth risking a lost bet. I once check-raised the tightest player at my regular game on the flop, turn and the river in a single hand...feels good to pull that off!

[2ndGoat]

a cardplayer writer once wrote something about joining the "triple play" club or some such for checkraising three times and showing down a winner. Congrats on gaining admission /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

2ndGoat