$100-$200 Hand

[Mason Malmuth]

Jim:

Your three bet on the flop is fine with me. Also note that part of the reason to make it three bets on the flop is to eliminate the first player which means that it is a little more likely that you really do have the number of outs that you are counting.

On the turn, I would be inclined to take a free card. It is very unlikely that someone who had enough to raise on the flop will now fold on the turn especially since there was a draw on board.

On the river calling looks best to me. I don't believe that you are enough of a favorite to risk having it go to three bets.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Jim:

If you don't mind me picking on you a little, suppose that you would have had Ks5s instead. My guess is that you would probably play the hand the same through fourth street. But what do you do on the river if he now bets?

MM

[jen]

...or out of position. Do you bet the turn out of position?

The kill acts last because he is posting a blind. I like your last question because that situation causes much controversy in my Arizona card room (Not Casino Arizona). Here the killer acts last, after the real big blind, raise or not. If the killer raises, the action goes back to UTG and continues, skipping the killer if necessary, back to the big blind who would close the action, unless, of course, there had been another raise.

[AceHigh]

I think this line is best, also.

Question for you, if the river is a blank, do you have to call a river bet after checking the turn?

I'm thinking the pot is too big too fold for 1 bet.

[snakehead]

Suppose the killer is on the button and someone raise to $200? At Casino Arizona, because of the raise, the killer would have to act in turn ...

you've got this wrong. the killer always acts after the big blind, regardless of any raises. if there is a raise, or even more than one raise, the killer acts after the big blind. anyone who called between the big blind and the raiser would then act after the killer.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hello Ace:

I'm just going to throw one point out. Whenever you check the turn in a spot like this, you are encouraging your opponent to bluff if a blank hits. That doesn't mean that your call should be automatic, but it does mean that you should be more inclined to call.

Best wishes,
mason
MM

[skp]

Given that you probably should call the river if you check the turn, is it not better to bet the turn and check the river?

The ads of betting the turn are of course obvious:

1. There will be a percentage of the time (albeit likely small in this instance) where your opponent folds.

2. Your hand will improve on the river a little less than a third of the time in any event.

The only disadvantage of betting given that you are going to call the river if you check is that you may be checkraised on the turn. In this spot, I think that is unlikely that you will be checkraised (albeit more likely than he will fold to your bet).

But the key is the pot size: The agony of being checkraised is not on the same scale as the ecstacy of having your opponent fold (given the pot size).

[Mason Malmuth]

By betting the turn, you may get a better hand to call you who would not bluff (or value bet) the river. Notice that in this case you have cost yourself a bet.

MM

[skp]

Good counterpoint although again, given the size of the pot, losing a bet is a secondary consideration. But that factor does need to be worked into the mix.