TD: rough river betting

[randomstumbl]

The board hasn't had a TD post in awhile so I figured I'd try to spark some discussion. This is a hand that I consider completely normal. What I'm curious about is how people feel about the river bet.

I've been looking for a hand that seems like a close decision for awhile and figured this would be as good as any.

Euri10's TD converter (http://membres.lycos.fr/euri10/td%20converter.html)

Hand number: null
Level: $3/$6
Players:
BB($279) seat 0
Hero($72) seat 1
CO($65) seat 2
Button($175) seat 3
SB($449) seat 5

Button at seat 3

SB posts. BB posts.

Hand: A/images/graemlins/spade.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gifQ/images/graemlins/club.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gifT/images/graemlins/heart.gif

Round 1(0.75BB)

Hero raises. CO folds. Button
calls. SB folds. BB calls. BB takes 2. Hero takes 2. Button takes 2.

Hand: A/images/graemlins/spade.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif9/images/graemlins/spade.gif

Round 2(2.75BB)

BB checks. Hero bets. Button
calls. BB calls. BB takes 2. Hero takes 1. Button takes 2.

Hand: A/images/graemlins/spade.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif6/images/graemlins/diamond.gifQ/images/graemlins/spade.gif

Round 3(4.25BB)

BB checks. Hero bets. Button
folds. BB calls. BB takes 1. Hero takes 1.

Hand: A/images/graemlins/spade.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif6/images/graemlins/diamond.gifT/images/graemlins/club.gif

Round 4(6.25BB)

BB checks. Hero bets. BB calls.

Showdown:
<font color="white">Hero shows T/images/graemlins/club.gif6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gifA/images/graemlins/spade.gif
BB mucks J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif8/images/graemlins/spade.gif6/images/graemlins/spade.gif5/images/graemlins/spade.gifA/images/graemlins/diamond.gif</font>

[dibbs]

Know anything about opponent? What's your table image? I think it's a feel thing, if I think he'll look me up because I'm gunning it in position I'll just check it behind, but if I think he has respect for me I might take a shot at trying to get him to fold a possible 8 or whatever, even if he calls itll get me action later.

If he likes checkraising I obviously check behind, its my experience that theyll usually lead the river here though instead of that line.

[randomstumbl]

If you've ever played me, it'd be my typical image. Pretty aggressive and possibly a little loose.

Just assume this is a normal 3/6 A-5 player and you'll be pretty much right. He's not done anything special.

[euri10]

the more I play the more I like this play in position.
I used to give him a free card on the turn when he draws 1 and me too but I dont do that anymore and quite systematically bet/bet. You have nothing to lose doing that.
Your opponent has to be pretty passive for that I think because most of the agresive opponents could raise you on the turn and the play is not possible anymore because you know he has you beat and will call.
I guess it s A to 5, I should tell the converter to tell it and the showdown sucks...

[W. Deranged]

I think this is very read-dependent, personally. The reason is that I can see two different, and somewhat mutually contradictory reasons for betting here:

1. Because villain knows you draw one, and since you're at least reasonably likely to have paired, might call you down with basically any no-pair hand here hoping to snap off a bluff. If your image is loose and aggressive, this reason for betting becomes more prominent. I'd like to have seen my opponent show down some very weak no-pair hands though to want to bet this for value.

2. You're trying to fold a 9 or an 8. Again, I want a read on my opponent here.

Against an unknown, this sort of bet qualifies as the ever-confusing "value-bluff," the idea being that you have a reasonable chance of both folding a better hand and getting a call from a worse hand. I'd definitely, though, want to see that my opponent is capable of either pretty tight river folds or pretty loose river calls before I made this bet, though. Your hand does have a lot of showdown value in its own right.

[randomstumbl]

My thought was that opponent "should" usually bet an 8 or better. So, I lose money when he has a 9 or better ten and make it back with face cards and worse tens.

It's a fairly thin bet, but I get some information out of it and set myself up for future bluffs. Obviously, I can't always bet here or else I'm going to open myself up to some interesting counter-strategies.