When is checking the river right?
 

Lets say you raise pre-flop and are heads up in a pot after the flop, you <AK> bet and your opponent "smooth calls" you and the board comes junk 2c-4s-8d. Now you fire a bullet since the odds say that your opponent missed and he calls again which a lot of people may in this spot being he prob has 2 over cards to the flop also. 4th street is another off card like a 7s your opponent is not a calling station and can be categorized as passive aggressive would you come out firing a second bullet and if the river is a miss do you check? Is it correct according to the theeory of poker?

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

As Roy Cooke would say: "It depends." There is no hard and fast rule but there are some guidelines to think about, all which must be viewed through the prism that is your read on the situation.

Somewhere I have read: "Don't bet if getting raised will make you throw up (Harrington?)."

Also: don't bet if you can only be called by a better hand, as might be the case given the limited information (in terms of your opponent).

Third: Ciaffone, in "Middle Limit Hold'em", recommends that you understand that with AK, you do have something to show down at the end. I have seen the slick win more than once unimproved, something that is quite likely heads up. In this case, the equity of a third bet is not that great: unlikely to be called unless up against a better hand. You may choose to pay the opponent off if he bets, given a fairly good hand heads up and the equity arising from understanding the kind of hand that apparently does turn your opponent into a calling station, at least for this hand.

The operative premise is based on your read of your opponent, and paying attention to the types of hands he shows down, plays aggressively, or folds is what will provide you equity in these kinds of situations.

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

To summarize:

Don't bet medium strength hands on the river;
you will only get called by a hand that beats you.

-ZEN

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

[ QUOTE ]
To summarize:

Don't bet medium strength hands on the river;
you will only get called by a hand that beats you.

-ZEN

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you want to re-consider that statement or explain it more thoroughly? If you mean exactly what you say I couldn't agree with you less.

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

[ QUOTE ]
To summarize:

Don't bet medium strength hands on the river;
you will only get called by a hand that beats you.

-ZEN

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I think a lot of calling stations will call with mediocre hands on the river.

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
To summarize:

Don't bet medium strength hands on the river;
you will only get called by a hand that beats you.

-ZEN

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you want to re-consider that statement or explain it more thoroughly? If you mean exactly what you say I couldn't agree with you less.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you could just explain medium a bit. Or list the types of players you are referrring to. I think I've gotten quite a few value bets in on the river with marginal hands.

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

Well this isnt exactly true. Many weak players call down with Ace high to bottom pair. I would bet if I had a piece and it didnt look TOO scary. A high though I check behind.

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

[ QUOTE ]

Somewhere I have read: "Don't bet if getting raised will make you throw up (Harrington?)."

[/ QUOTE ]
isnt that DS from TOP? i could be wrong though

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

Who is first to act, you or your opponent?

If you are first to act, then the pot contains something like 5.75BB. If you bet, what do you expect your opponent to call you with? At the same time, your hand can beat a bluff. You are probably best of checking and (something like six times in seven, if you have no read) calling.

If you are last to act, your hand might be worth a bet, depending on your read. If you think the likelihood of his calling you and showing you a bare ace is better than 50%, you should bet. And in any event, having missed your six-out draw to an ace or king on the river, you should bluff-bet close to 2.5% of the time.

Re: When is checking the river right?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Who is first to act, you or your opponent?


If you are last to act, your hand might be worth a bet, depending on your read. If you think the likelihood of his calling you and showing you a bare ace is better than 50%, you should bet. And in any event, having missed your six-out draw to an ace or king on the river, you should bluff-bet close to 2.5% of the time.

[/ QUOTE ]


Thank you for an excellent reply.