Party 10/20...another river decision

[Bob S.]

I have black kings and open raise in EP. I get cold called by an MP (not a total moron but coldcalls too many raises) and the BB (A total moron who plays till the turn at least every hand he gets into). The flop comes Ah9h2d. Lovely...I bet and they both call. Turn comes the Qc, I bet and just the MP calls. River falls the 9c, I check and my oppoent bets, call or fold???

Bob S.

[Ulysses]

I usually call here. Sometimes I'm shown an Ace or 9 and lose. Other times I'm shown either busted hearts or hearts that picked up a Queen on the turn. Against some opponents who won't bet their missed flush draws, I muck. It depends. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Bob S.]

I called and my opponent showed the KhJh for the busted draw. I honestly wasn't afraid of an ace, I think this guy raises the flop to try and get heads up if he did. I also didn't think he'd be coldcalling preflop with something like 89 or 9T but it was close on that one...he had a hard time folding suited connectors all night, he was playing them raised or not.

Bob S.

[Paluka]

I think this call is a worse call than the other post where you call with the aces up. But by worse I may just mean "less good". I probably would have folded this one though, and called in the other one. So I'd be totally screwed.

[glen]

If you're not worried about the ace, check folding is very weak. I am usually shown AJo or suited down to A2s in this situation, but I pretty much always call and am shown enough KJs and such to make it worth it imo. . .

[ajizzle]

THe key is this. On the river, if there is a situation where the hand is worth a call, or ALMOST worth a call, you should bet out instead. I forget the exact reasoning behind it, but Sklansky points this out in HPFAP.

I think the reason is because you will get your opponent folding the better hand some times (this can't be the only reason however, since there is the very real possibility that you will get check/raised).

I the context of this hand, I think you either bet the river and fold to a check/raise, or check the river and fold to a bet. I personally think that check/calling is the worst way to play this hand.