quick river decision

[gaylord focker]

20-40 at the Taj a few weeks ago. UTG limps, and I limp behind him with black fives. MP raises, SB calls and BB folds. Middle position is extremely loose aggresive, and SB is a big limit player who is steaming off his chips.

Flop: 10 /images/graemlins/heart.gif6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif

SB checks, UTG checks, I bet, MP and SB called, UTG folded.

Turn:2 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

SB checked, I checked and MP checked.

River:9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

SB checks. Value bet the river? Also, who bets the turn and folds to a raise considering how much a free card may hurt if I am ahead.

[Manzanita]

gaylord,

I don't like your preflop limp from early position holding 55 with an extremely loose aggresive MP sitting behind you.

Your flop and turn play are fine.

On the end I would just check and hope to induce a bet from MP (I'm guessing that he would be more likely to bet with his overcards than call). This also avoids the consternation of having to deal with a possible bluff-raise from MP if he's prone to try such things.

-- Manzanita

[JayKon]

Pre-flop I fold, or rarely raise.
Flop I bet
Turn I bet and if just called ...
River I bet.

I think you had the best hand ... But then I play 15/30 max and a lot of 10/20.

[Vehn]

I'm curious as to why you think checking the turn is fine. I would never check the turn here in this spot.

[gaylord focker]

The turn check is aweful, its tough to debate. The reason I did check it was because MP had been raising with hands like AK, AQ AJ on the flop when he missed, and had been smooth calling and raising the turn when he hit, or had a real pair. Even so, there are too many turn cards that criple my hand to check. All that being said, I'm curious if anyone thinks there is a value bet oppertunity on the river.

[JayKon]

Please forgive my direct reply. You misplayed the hand pre-flop, did OK on the flop, missed the turn, the river and all you seem intrested in is the river.

That is not where your focus should be. Since you didn't bet on the turn, you have no idea where you are and if the river should be bet or not.

However, as I said before, I beleive you had the best hand and should bet. Which is what I would do if for some strange reason I found myself at that river in that fasion.

[gaylord focker]

Please forgive my direct reply but I'm a bit uninterested about what you think of me limping with 5's before the flop. Like I said I probably should have bet the turn, but because of his betting patterns, (he had been raising AK type hands in these spots and smoothcalling with big hands) I had a somewhat reasonable reason to check, although betting and folding to a raise would have been a better course of action. Since I did miss the turn bet, and found myself in an unusual situation on the river, which is why I posted the hand.

[JayKon]

OK, fair enough.

Bet the river, 'cause I think you had the best hand.

[gaylord focker]

[obi---one]

If you check the turn, I think you have to check the river so you don't get bluffed out by a raise. Also, there is a good chance he will bet with nothing if it is checked to him again, but if you bet he will fold or raise with nothing putting you in a bind.