Should I bet this river?

[xLukex]

Villain just sat down.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP calls.

River: (5.25 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP raises, <font color="#CC3333">Hero calls</font>.

Final Pot: 7.25 BB

[spydog]

Against an unknown at 1/2, this is usually a bet-fold situation.

At higher/aggressive limits, I think you can check-call against an unknown.

Bet-call would be 3rd on my list.

Check-fold would be last on my list.

[RunDownHouse]

I'm definitely ok with a bet/fold here, although I don't hate check/call if you want to get a read on what he'll call down with. But bet/call is definitely last on the list.

[xLukex]

So only take this line if I have a solid read on villain?

I guess check/call is the best line here without a read, but I have this mindset that I'm not aggressive enough in 6 max, so that's my excuse for betting.

[RunDownHouse]

Well, like I said, I don't really have a problem with betting. But if you can't fold when raised, then you shouldn't bet it. This guy wasn't running a river bluff raise, and he wasn't raising something like TP for value. You're beat.

I don't think bet/fold and check/call are too far off in terms of value, although I lean towards bet/fold because 1/2 is so passive and he'll call with a ton of hands you beat, only raise you when you're smoked, and might check behind something he'd call with. If you want to get a read on what he'll call down with on a board like that (although I don't think, in general, the read you'll get will be worth much; it'll be something like J8 or Ax or something that doesn't help you out much), then that means you definitely want a showdown, so check/call. Which path you choose I don't think matters too horribly much, but going the way of bet/call is definitely the worst way to play it outside of check/fold.

[StellarWind]

Bet-fold is good and my first choice.

It is not obvious that if you check you should call at 6-1. Most players will correctly deduce that the check means 'overpair afraid of ace'. They will not expect you to fold this overpair. Their minds simply cannot grasp this alien concept.

Armies of aces and sixes will bet behind for value. With that heavy stream of value bets you will be hard-pressed to find more than 1/7 of all unknown $1/$2 bets being bluffs.

My $1/$2 results did not improve until I finally understood reality. Stop calling the #$%#?@ river because they are *never* bluffing. Next stop bet-folding bottom pair against people who routinely check TPNK through.

Your main reading task in this game is identifying the occasional players who don't play this way. But the most important advice I can give to struggling micro SH players is stop paying people off.