Should I bet the river?

[TJD]

$1/$2 game I have just sat down and am in BB with A8 off suit

no PFR 6 see flop of

A76 rainbow

SB checks; I bet; there is one folder the other 4 call; 5 see turn

Turn T(en) diamonds

AT76 (2 diamonds)

SB checks; I bet; all call; 5 see river

River Qc

AQT76

SB checks; should I bet or check?

[brian0729]

Check the river, You shouldnt even be there. I have some of these same problems myself. After the flop you are thinking I can stay in and catch another A or 8 and I should be ahead. Then you pay off somebody with A10 or AJ all the way to the river. Three of these types of hands cost me almost all of my profit in my last session. If you dont flop two pair, trips or three suited to your A. You have to let it go after the flop. You be kicking yourself for paying this one off.

[lil']

[ QUOTE ]
Check the river, You shouldnt even be there.

[/ QUOTE ]

What makes you think he should have folded? He has top pair. Do you have any reason to assume his hand isn't best judging by what has transpired so far?

[Bob T.]

This is a lot of opponents, and you don't have a great hand, but at the same time, noone else seems to either. I got this far, and I guess, that I would bet, and hope to get called by someone who had Q9 and was chasing their gutshot, and now has second pair. At this limit, you might get called by some players that never release a pocket pair.

Anyway, you have five opponents, and you might get called by two, are you going to win half the time? Maybe not, but are you going to win more than 1/3? I think so, I would go ahead and bet here, it isn't the biggest of value bets, but I think that you probably have one here.

[brian0729]

I would have played differently (maybe not better but differently) on this hand. I would have checked from the beginning and folding to just about any bet other than maybe a complete maniac. I would probably never even made it to the river,(why I commented that I thought he shouldnt even be there) but once I was there I would have check called the river with top pair on a very passive hand.

[Rube]

I'd bet, worse hands will call and you can probably fold to a raise depending on the action. Your opponents have given you no reason to think your hand won't be best enough times to make betting the river correct.

[felson]

I would bet. You can get paid off by multiple opponents, and this should be +EV. If raised, you can fold.

[TJD]

I check. It is checked round and I win.

My concerns were:-

a) the 2 possible str8s 89 (unlikley with no turn raise) and KJ
b) also with so many in, the possibility of A with a better kicker
c) the chance that someone has finally hit 2 pair or a set

It is interesting to see so many opting for betting.

I gave this some thought. There are 5 scenarios presumably

1) I bet all fold. The benefit is that no one sees my hand
2) I bet they call, I win. I win more money
3) I bet, they call, I lose. I lose 1 BB
4) I bet, they raise, I fold. I lose 1 BB
5) I bet, an ace with a better kicker folds?? Is that likely?

Is it your experience that the money won in 2) (and 5)?) will offset those lost in 3) and 4) in the long run? Is that why betting is better?

Thanks

May the flop be with you