Is checking the river weak?

[AZK]

Greektown 2-2-5, 2 limpers to CO who makes it 20, I look down and see A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and make it 50 to go. Everyone folds to CO who calls. CO has about $1200, I have him covered, has been pretty quiet but I've only been playing for about 45 minutes with him. In other words, no knowledge...

Flop comes A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]; CO checks, I bet $100, pot was a little bit over $100. CO calls.

Turn 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], CO checks , I bet $250, CO calls.

River 4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], CO checks, I check behind.

CO shows A2o. How many people check behind on the river? How many don't? If you don't, just push him in or bet out $300?

Would your play be any different if the 4 had appeared on the flop and then paired on the river?

I didn't really know what I was going to be shown, so I decided to check the river, in case I was beat...weak?

Thanks.

[KingFourOff]

The only hands that I might call your raise preflop with that are now beating you would be A9s, 99, 33, 44, and A4s if I'm in uber-loose mode.

In his shoes, if I did flop the set, I might check the boat on the river since you've bet into me on both the flop and turn.

River check was a bit weak, but if you trusted a read that he was slowplaying since you were aggressive until the river, it's a fine play.

[tewall]

My normal thinking would be you've already raised pre-flop, and bet twice, and he's called you down. Assuming he's not a fish, what hand would he call another bet with on the river that doesn't have you beat? Meaning my first inclination, against a player I didn't know, would be to check behind.

OTOH in this particular hand, it's very difficult to think of a hand that you could be behind. The only hand I can think of that might have called your pre-flop bet and not raised the turn is 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Because of the flush draw, any stronger hand than yours would want to raise so as not to give a free shot at the draw.

So if I could think fast enough, I think I'd make an exception to my normal inclination of checking behind and bet a half pot or so and hope for him calling with something like AQ or a PP.

Before making such a bet, you'd have to have a plan in mind for responding to a raise.

I don't think checking behind is a poor play however. With TPTK your happy to show down for a pot the size of that one.

If the 4 had come on the flop, it wouldn't have changed my thinking. Not many players would slow play twice with a set given the flush draw out there (and then follow that up with another check on the river to boot).

[TStoneMBD]

The 9 is the only scary card on the board for you. In situations like this I think it is much more likely hell show down AQ than A9 or a set.

[Justin A]

Bet the river about half pot and get him to call you with his AQ or AJ. I don't think any hands that beat you check three times and put in no raises.

Of course he had A2, which makes me wonder if you got the rest of his stack anyway.

Justin A

[AZK]

How would you go about playing this hand if he had pushed back at any point? On the flop, pretty much anything is an instant call, but what about on the turn? How would you respond if he bet into you heavy? I feel like I might have bet too much on the turn to the point where the pot was so large relative to his stack that I would be forced to call almost anything...