pot control .5/1nl

[beset7]

villain is 10/0/0.33 after 200 hands. I decided to keep the pot small because I just couldn't put him on a frickin hand. I almost found a value bet on the river but chickened out.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

MP2 ($95.35)
Hero ($100)
CO ($118.25)
Button ($130.15)
SB ($101.75)
BB ($127.72)
UTG ($190.65)
UTG+1 ($86.45)
MP1 ($285.58)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/spade.gif. SB posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG calls $1, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $4</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, UTG calls $3.

Flop: ($9.50) J/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, UTG calls $4.

Turn: ($17.50) T/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, Hero checks.

River: ($17.50) 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: $17.50

[amoeba]

bet like you have Aq or KK on the flop.

don't make it so obvious.

check behind on turn is fine.

bet the river.

[beset7]

[ QUOTE ]
bet like you have Aq or KK on the flop.

don't make it so obvious.

check behind on turn is fine.

bet the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you think it's an easy river bet? It seemed so thin to me.

w/r to the flop it may be a style thing but I vary my bets on the flop a lot (between 1/4 to full pot) with just as wide a range of hands. I used to always make my c-bets a 3/4rs to full pot but as an integrated approach I started varying everything more. thoughts on that if you have any would be great but I'm more interested in the river.

[FlyingStart]

Looks like he paired his ace to me. And it doesn't look like he has a king

[vanHelsing]

[ QUOTE ]
I used to always make my c-bets a 3/4rs to full pot but as an integrated approach I started varying everything more.

[/ QUOTE ]
Varying is good, but you need to vary in correlation with the board texture.
The board is draw heavy. Just assume you had AA. Would you really give your hand so little protection on that board?

Bet pot.

[amoeba]

I don't think a lone K checks the river. although I guess your play could be indicative of AK. underbet when I miss, check when I hit the nuts.

after looking at villains vpip though, I might think otherwise. I mean what is he going to call my river bet with.

[beset7]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think a lone K checks the river. although I guess your play could be indicative of AK. underbet when I miss, check when I hit the nuts.

after looking at villains vpip though, I might think otherwise. I mean what is he going to call my river bet with.

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks for all advance on the flop bet. I've been varying them more less or randomly. Here I felt ok w/ making my the "second hand is in between 11 and 12 I'll underbet" because I didn't mind a call (wrong?).

FWIW he turned over a horrible played AA and probably would have payed off a small bet. If I had bet bigger on the flop and he called, however, I think it would have been a much clearer check behind on the river. Interesting hand to me.

[jjb108]

Yes interesting hand but this seems like a clear river bet as I can't see what he's playing that beats you here. I can understand the check behind given the confusion during the hand because a reraise here might cause you to lay it down incorrectly and I'm sure you like money. Did you overthink this one while playing?

Not sure this is pot control as much as keeping it small. Isn't pot control manipulating the pot to make your opponent make mistakes that they wouldn't other wise?

[beset7]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes interesting hand but this seems like a clear river bet as I can't see what he's playing that beats you here. I can understand the check behind given the confusion during the hand because a reraise here might cause you to lay it down incorrectly and I'm sure you like money. Did you overthink this one while playing?

Not sure this is pot control as much as keeping it small. Isn't pot control manipulating the pot to make your opponent make mistakes that they wouldn't other wise?

[/ QUOTE ]

(1) I see what your saying about the river, as I thought it was close and maybe I did overthink it, but with a vpip of 10% I can't think of a hand he's playing that I AM beating. But this type of thing is why I leave my HUD off most of the time.

(2) Pot control, to me, is a somewhat generic term. But I use to include keeping the pot small with vulnerable hands, manipulating the pot size to cause your opponents to make mistakes, and crafting situations on the river where you still have enough money left to bluff when you and the villain both miss your draws. I might be misusing the term.

[jjb108]

Yes the flop call with the flush draw is strange. However the check on the turn I can see from villian. He's beat or possibly made the nut str8. However, a strong hand by villian bets the river for value here. My guess is he put you on AK and shut down. I don't see a problem with the check behind really. I guess I'd agree that your river bet doesn't get called except by a better hand. As you said, interesting hand and not clear cut.

As for pot control - your definition is fine. I'm no expert.