Missed a raise on the river?

Average game for southern california. I'm UTG with AhKh and raise. All fold to the SB who calls the 1.5 bets. The BB is a typical california-obnoxious type of player. He three bets the pot and the SB goes all-in for the fourth bet, capping the pot. I call and it's three handed for four bets each, one all-in.


The flop is nine high with two diamonds and a spade. BB bets and I raise him. I can't fold and I'd like to see where he's at and maybe slow him down. He could have three-bet with a lesser hand than mine quite easily, so I might even be ahead. he's kind of indiscriminate with his reraises and doesn't consider who did the raising in the first place. He just calls, indicating to me that we're either tied, or I'm ahead.


the turn is a blank. check, check.


the river is an ace. He bets and I call.


I should have raised the river. What could he have played the way he did that I can't beat now?


Comments?


Results to follow.

The pot became mine. He had pocket queens and the SB didn't show his hand. The BB played his hand poorly, IMO. He should have reraised me on the flop, then bet the turn. He either assumed I had a bigger pocket pair and chickened out, or he was trying to check-raise me on the turn, but I didn't cooperate. Either way, I think I missed a bet by not raising the river.


Dave in Cali

Almost any decent player wont call a raise on the river unless you are beat. Think about it. You raise UTG and then raise on the river when an A hit after taking a free card on the turn. this is the clasic AK play. AK/AQs might have reraised out of the blind and called a river raise. I can't see any other hand you beat calling this one down. People very rarely river raise bluff in low limit. Its something to keep in mind next time you are out of position and get raised on the river when an overcard to your pocket pair comes off.


Rob

What could he have played the way he did that I can't beat now?


Given your description of this player its doubtful he has you beat. However, its also doubtful he has anything worthwhile. It appears to me he is either bluffing(no need to raise) or hit 2 pair with his Axs (again, no need to raise)


I think on this one he just had a brain fart and had QQ. This situation is not a +EV raise IMHO. I think you are being slightly results oriented here.

You and Rob both disagreed with me and said I should not have raised. Perhaps you are both right, I may have failed to consider some of the points you both make. However, it may seem like I'm being results oriented, but I strongly considered raising, but then just called. It seems my thinking on this hand was fuzzy, as I didn't have a clear reason for just calling in my mind (even though it seems I did make the better move, even if by accident).


Perhaps the lesson here is that I should have had the reason for what I chose to do clear in my mind before taking that action. I knew what my reasons for raising would have been, but wasn't clear about my reasons for just calling. I probably had some doubts, even if not completely clear about why, and therefore decided to take the cautious approach. Optimally, you should have a clear cut reason for all the decisions you make in poker, and I didn't here.


Good posts guys.


Dave in Cali