Bet with nothing?

[Sam T.]

Does anyone bet the river here? (Or were there mistakes that I'm not bright enough to notice?)

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed), no reads, except that I think Dids is at the table, but not in the hand.converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/club.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.50. MP3 posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 (poster) checks, CO (poster) checks, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (7 SB) 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(7 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 raises</font>, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (9.50 BB) Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls.

River: (12.50 BB) T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, Button checks.

Final Pot: 12.50 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 12.50 BB, between Button, Hero and UTG+1.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by Button (12.50 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows 3c 8c (high card, queen).
UTG+1 shows Ks 7c (high card, king).
Button shows As Kh (high card, ace).
Outcome: Button wins 12.50 BB. </font>

[eric5148]

Well, it turned out the other two had nothing. But that doesn't mean betting the river is +EV. A very likely hand they have is a pair with ace kicker. Maybe even a straight they slowplayed horribly. Even still, the typical Party fish might call with ace high to "keep you honest."

[Nottom]

I will all but guarantee that the guy with AK would call you here.

[bisonbison]

Since it's safe to assume that you won't win without betting, the question is: will both of my opponents fold often enough to make this worthwhile?

Will they both fold 8% of the time? I don't know. It's not a very threatening board and they're likely to call you with any pair. Some party players will call with anything. Anything. I once made a similar desperation bluff and was called and lost to 8 high. 8 high.

Against one opponent, I'd almost certainly bet this.

Against two, I don't know.

[sfer]

[ QUOTE ]
I once made a similar desperation bluff and was called and lost to 8 high. 8 high.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to have more than a little giggle thinking about this on the walk home from work today.

At a live 10/20 game I saw a guy across the table call and then show his hand: 3-4 offsuit. He was playing the board. A guy next to me muttered, "Why would you show that? You can't beat 5 high," and the table shared a good laugh for 3 hands.