A-Js Bet the River?

5-10 but a 10-20 kill pot. It is folded to me in MP and I have A-J of spades. I raise and the kill fold and only the SB calls. I know nothing about him, he has just move from a must move table and this is the first hand he has played. Flop come three blanks,one is a spade. He checks, I bet, he calls. Turn is a blank but a spade. He checks, I bet, he calls. River is a blank. He checks. I check and he shows down A-J offsuit. Several players said that I should have bet but since I did not know anything about this player, nor did he know me I felt that he would have called me down. Right move on my part or mistake? Thanks for any input.

This sort of steal has MUCH more power if there is one high card on board. Only the most inexperienced players don't realize that typical raisers do NOT have a pair when they raise, and when there are no high cards the probably STILL don't have a pair.


Checking this hand will give you more power when you steal in other situations. Bluffing in this situation will seriously damager you ability to steal in other situations. Over-all, well played.


Make a mental note of the players that advised betting. These players seem to be good check-raise targets.


- Louie

Thanks for advice. Later in the game, when I was head to head with this same player, I floped trips and made a boat on the turn and he called me down all the way to the end. I see what you mean about a K,Q on the board helping me to bluff at the pot.

Tough question. If he's calling you this far with no apparent draws, you have to be nervous about his having top pair/middle pair on the flop....and he's afraid you have an overpair. Given the info, I don't think you could bluff him out on the river. He was trying to catch, same as you were (although you had the nut flush free-roll.) If I was in your situation without a pair (and against a new player,) I would just check it down and hope he didn't pair up either. Louie noted that less experienced players will assume you have an overpair (premium pair) if you raise preflop and continue to bet against small cards. You would need a K or Q on the flop to bluff on the river. He may call you on the river, hoping you have KQ or another similar hand that didn't pair up. I think you could make a better decision (bet or check) if you had more info about your opponent.