Value or blocking bet?

[TylerD]

$20 2-table on PokerRoom, top 3 pay. 15 left, $25/50 blinds.

Everyone folds to a seemingly loose (no real read) player in LP who limps.

I (3225) in SB raise to 225 with TdTs. BB folds, LP (3425) calls.

FLOP [board cards 9H,6C,7S ]

I bet $550, LP calls $550.

TURN [board cards 9H,6C,7S,5H ]
I bet $600, LP calls $600.

<font color="green"> I don't think he's slowplaying here, but he could be, he probably has 1 pair, perhaps 9x, 7x or possibly JJ or better.</font>

River JS.

How to proceed?

[PhiGamTN]

It doens't feel like an over pair or a set because he probably would have raised the flop/turn to get out draws or for information. I'm guessing he limps with a hand like 10J or or 9/10 suited or 89. I'd say your probably ahead of most of his holdings. I would say the only way he has a str8 here is he he has pockets 8's which he might raise preflop. I'd say you're probably ahead here and i'd go ahead and value bet 600 or so and if you're behidn (to a 10/j i'm guessing) then it serves a purpose as a blocking bet

[kdotsky]

[ QUOTE ]

<font color="green"> I don't think he's slowplaying here, but he could be, he probably has 1 pair, perhaps 9x, 7x or possibly JJ or better.</font>

How to proceed?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't be very confident that I'm ahead after he calls the turn bet. There are many hands that beat you. A9, A7, K9 are the only hands he could have that you beat. he could have A8, 88, a set or two-pair of some variety, etc. My guess is maybe he flopped a set, slow played it on the flop, but is scared of the straight on the turn. If not that I'd guess he hit the straight on the turn. Either way, I'd check the river and play it by ear - hoping whatever happens, it's cheap. I think I might have checked the turn, too.

[TylerD]

[ QUOTE ]
hoping whatever happens, it's cheap

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't it better to make a blocking bet then?

[kdotsky]

Yes I think making a small bet may be good - If he has a set or two pair (or hopefully the couple hands we can beat) he will just call, fearing he let you hit the straight. If he has the straight he will raise now, and you fold. I think the biggest threat if we check is that he might bluff those hands we could have beaten, but might check a set or two-pair to be safe. So what did he have?

[adanthar]

If he checks behind a set or 2 pair, he's generally not betting big with A high.

I give up on this hand on the turn. It may still be best but probably not often enough for me to stay with it. As far as calling the river, I think it depends on the bet size.

[Jason Strasser]

Tyler,

Your river decision is very tough.

However, it didn't have to be that way. Lets face it, you have a nice hand worth a value bet or two, but not three. With the board out there, your hand is not looking for someone to play back at. I also think that you let this hand get out of control.

I would check the turn and try to get to showdown. Your opponent called a flop bet. If the opponent checks behind the turn, value bet the river.

Remember, the bigger the pot, the more inscentive there is for your opponent to make a play with nothing. Keep the pot under control, check the turn, and go from there. Very rarely in no limit holdem is it correct to value bet all three streets IMO.

-Jason

[TylerD]

Check the turn and give him a free card? What about the possibility that the four to a straight on the turn might scare him into folding? Or that a bet might indicate that I wasn't simply trying to steal the pot pre-flop and on the flop?

[Irieguy]

Hmm, I'm not sure I agree with Jason's point that it is rarely correct to value bet on every street. I actually really like your bet on the turn because it looks like there's no way he'd only smooth-call with a straight there. He'd want to get more money in with the nuts, so you know he doesn't have the straight.

If you check the turn it seems like it would be much more difficult to know what's going on, in my opinion.

As far as your river play, it is a tough one. I still think you are going to have the winner the vast majority of the time... and that's pretty much the definition of a value-betting opportunity. BUT, if you get played back at, as Jason says... you aren't going to be very wild about your call. I think the most important point to consider is that he hasn't done anything to represent a straight, and you haven't done anything to convince him it's out of the question for you to have it. So if you value bet the river, he'll probably call with a 9 or 7 (maybe as little as a 5) and be too afraid to raise if the J helped him. I'd probably bet another 600 chips or so.

This whole play is very limit-dependent, too. In a $100+9 or higher, I'd proceed much more cautiously.

Irieguy

[TylerD]

I chickened out and bet 275, he called with A9 and MHIG.