[Zag]

The specific situation under discussion is if you have one opponent on whom you have position. You have flopped top two and a weak draw (such as a non-nut flush or an 8-out straight). You have bet the flop and been called, and then the turn was a blank and the opponent checks to you.

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If you have top two, you cannot afford to let another player off on the turn by checking it ... Betting is compulsory with the hand you describe. There's almost no two ways about it.

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I continue to hold to my opinion, that checking behind is the better play. I am very willing to be convinced otherwise, but here is my reasoning.

If you bet, what worse hands are there that will call? 2 pair worse than top two will probably fold. The lame overpair hands that at least one poster here loves to play will certainly fold (unless he makes the check-raise bluff). So the bottom line is that there are no made hands that you beat which will call, only the drawing hands.

Risk of checking:
1. Drawing hands will not pay to draw at you. Ameliorating factor: With some of those draws, you'll be chopping anyway. For other draws, you hold some of their outs, so they are less likely to hit than would be the case if you didn't have your weak draw.
2. Weak drawing hands and worse made hands (bottom 2 pair, for instance) that would fold now get a chance for a miracle card. (However, see point 6, below.)

Pros of checking:
1. Weaker made hands may overrate your weakness and bet at you on the river.
2. Pot stays much smaller when you are beaten, because you have avoided the check-raise. Note that checking the turn and calling a pot-sized bet on the river costs you exactly the same as if you had bet the turn and folded to the check-raise, and you get to see the showdown.
3. If you are the one drawing, you get to do it for free.
4. Because you showed weakness on the turn, opponent will be unlikely to check, planning to check-raise on the river. Therefore, if a card comes which looks like one that finishes a draw (even if it is not yours) and the opponent checks to you, you can pretty safely bet out and will probably bluff off someone with a set.
5. You can't be bluffed off of a winning hand.
6. Weaker made hands (bottom 2 or top and bottom) and even a stronger hand -- bottom set -- might hit the miracle card that gives them a smaller full house than yours. Now you get their whole stack.

Pros of betting:
1. If opponent is drawing, he now pays to do so. Therefore, you win more money when opponent is drawing and doesn't hit.
2. If opponent has a worse made hand or a bad draw, he will fold and doesn't get the opportunity to pick up the miracle card.

Risk of betting:
1. There are plenty of made hands which are much better than yours, and these will all check-raise you. Your weak draw won't give you odds to call, so you have to lay it down.
2. You are at risk of a check-raise bluff or semi-bluff.

These all add up, to me, that you should check behind on the turn. Agree or disagree?