Free Showdown or Small Value Bet?
 

Should I take the free showdown or go for a small value bet hoping the opponent will call with a weak ace? Or will I only get called by hands that beat me? And do I set myself to be bluff raised or raised too often? Also, was my flop raise too much? I wanted more people in the hand with that monster of a hand.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed) converter

UTG+2 ($14.6)
Hero ($23.12)
MP2 ($27.75)
MP3 ($23.63)
CO ($24.95)
Button ($64.39)
SB ($20.75)
BB ($41)
UTG ($23.35)
UTG+1 ($15.15)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.1.
UTG calls $0.25, UTG+1 calls $0.25, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls $0.25, MP2 calls $0.25, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, SB (poster) completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($1.50) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(6 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $1</font>, BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $1, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $3</font>, MP2 folds, SB folds, UTG+1 calls $2.

Turn: ($8.50) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks.

River: ($8.50) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $1.5</font>, UTG+1 calls $1.50.

Final Pot: $11.50

Re: Free Showdown or Small Value Bet?
 

$1.5 on the river is not a value bet, its pathetic. bet 1/2 the pot on river.

Re: Free Showdown or Small Value Bet?
 

If I bet that much though, won't I only get called by hands that kill me?

Re: Free Showdown or Small Value Bet?
 

Don't bet at all.

Your weak 2 pair doesn't look too good on the river. Any queen is a straight, and any ace, or king 2 pair has you nailed.

check and take a free showdown.

If he bets, use your judgement, gut, and situational skill to determine if you should call or fold. But be prepared to fold to a moderate/large bet most of the time.

-Google-

Re: Free Showdown or Small Value Bet?
 

I like the free showdown here as well, too many possibilities out there and not a lot of reads as to the hand he could have.

Re: Free Showdown or Small Value Bet?
 

If there's value in betting, there's value in making a real bet. If you're likely to lose, a small bet serves only to lose you less.

If there's only a 20% chance your opponent will have the small ace, you shouldn't bet any amount. You're throwing away 80% of any bet you make—why bet?

That said, I think you're ahead here... Or at least I'd play it that way without a read on my opponent. Somebody tell me why I'm wrong...