Having to get involved with my weak Ace

[Brian]

Party 3/6. I am dealt A /images/graemlins/club.gif 3 /images/graemlins/club.gif in the CO. UTG, MP, and LP limp, and I limp along. Button folds, SB completes, and BB checks. The table lineup is constantly changing, but I have played with the BB before and she is a reasonably solid player. 6 to the Flop, 6sb.

Flop: A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif K /images/graemlins/spade.gif 7 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I pray for a bet from the Blinds or no bet at all. Unfortunately, it is checked around to the LP player who bets. I raise, and everyone folds back to LP who calls. 2 to the Turn for 5bb.

Turn: Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif

He checks, I bet, he calls. 2 to the River, 7bb.

River: 9 /images/graemlins/club.gif

He checks and I check. Results later.

-Brian

[Trix]

If the LP is as likely to bet a king as an Ace on the flop, then I think you have a valuebet on the river, especially since you split with with some of the stronger aces weak aces and there is a small chance that you can make them fold.

[Brian]

He has K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif and takes it. I think I still missed a bet on the River, though.

-Brian

[balkii]

[ QUOTE ]
He has K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif and takes it. I think I still missed a bet on the River, though.

-Brian

[/ QUOTE ]

What do you do when he checkraises you?

[Brian]

Hi balkii,

I grudgingly call. He could have a weak Ace and decided to get out of hand, but I am probably beat. However, you just can't fold to River check-raises unless you are close to 100% certain you are correct, and online I have never felt that comfortable with my read. You will usually be getting good enough odds to where if he only is bluffing a small amount of the time, your call will be profitable. Also, if you make a habit out of making "tough" laydowns like this, then others may pick up on it and try to take shots at you in the future.

-Brian

[tripdad]

don't fret making "tough" laydowns because online players will pick up on it and take advantage of you. it is rare that you even play the same person twice in a month online, much less players making notes about your play.

cheers!

[sthief09]

I don't think he's check-raising here. So many hands beat him, and it would be devastating for him to get 3-bet on the river. The only way he'd check-raise is if he has a straight. But even so, he can't risk losing a bet on the river because he tried to check raise.

I think you value bet the river. He's going to call you with any A, K, or Q. In order for him to play an ace to beat yours, his kicker has to beat a 9.

[Brian]

Hi tripdad,

I disagree. I play with many of the same players at my limits quite frequently.

-Brian

[GuyOnTilt]

I grudgingly call...you just can't fold to River check-raises unless you are close to 100% certain you are correct.

Actually Brian, you only have to be 91% sure to be able to fold here.

GoT

[sthief09]

OK, GoT, obviously I understand where you get 91% from, but when I'm in a situation like this, I just think to myself, "what the hell is 91%." I know it's 1 in 9, but what do you do when you're in a situation like this? Do you have a benchmark for figuring out whether you are x% sure of something?

[PokerNoob]

Hate to bump this from yesterday, but isn't this also a case where you want a "free showdown" as discussed in General Texas Hold'em forum, and not a value bet on the river? Or am I misapplying that principle?

[Sarge85]

My guess is that you each had an Ace, but chopped the pot.

Sarge/images/graemlins/diamond.gif