River TPTK check/call or bet?

[Eric P]

If you have TPTK, let's say not an ace, cause too often people are calling with a bad ace, say you have AQ on a Q96 2 suited flop. The turn and river both bring what appear to be blanks and you are first position. Do you bet again, or check/call hopging that you convinced them you were on a flush draw and they will bluff?
Or do you bet out again and hope to get called by a loser, i think that in this situation you probably have to bet.

However i think the decision is more difficult if you are in last position (and the pot is heads up). If you only have TPTK and are checked to on the river by someone who you know is tricky, and mahybe a little wild, do you check and take it down, or try and get another bet, while risking the deadly river check-raise?

Also if a draw appears to have hit i assume most people will check/call or check it if they are in last position. Or do people opt to bet and fold to a raise (or against the most obvious players check and fold)

[elysium]

hi eric
in the case of a suspected busted draw, check from first, do a check take away. from last position, you are 55% favorite if called so betting is correct, but not if your opponent is tricky. if he's tricky eric, then only bet from last if you will 3 bet his raise. if you will 3 bet it, then by all means bet. but if you will only call his raise, then do not bet. you must never, ever put yourself into a position of calling a tricky's check-raise on the river. that's very bad. if you won't 3 bet, and many players building a bankroll won't, then simply check it behind.

if the only draw completes on the river and a check-caller checks into you, check it down. if you're in first position, ask 'if my opponent checks behind will i win?'. if yes, then bet; if no, then check. if the board is double coordinated and one of the draws completes, bet from last position if your opponent is passive and unlikely to raise without the nuts, and check it down if your opponent is aggressive. whether your opponent will likely raise is very important when in last on the river facing a completed draw when the board is double coordinated. if the board is double coordinated and one of the draws completes, never bet into the tricky because these situations bring out the worst in him. you will likely face a bluff check-raise and you don't like that without at least trips. if you have trips or better, then always give the tricky a chance to bluff check-raise the river. do not 3 bet when you have trips or better though. simply call.

from first position, most of your decisions are much easier because usually the decision is made based on pot odds. not from last position though. even though in last position you have more knowledge and more control, you tend to not to bet unless you are at least 55% favorite WHEN CALLED. that when called means that you need to be about 2-1 to win from last position because of the threat of being check-raised.

disclaimer: none of this info was first thought out by mr. sklansky.....just kidding.