River Value Bet Question (added bonus: preflop minraise)

[ajmargarine]

Villain (UTG) is a poor, below average player. Loose preflop, weak postflop.

.50/$1 NLHE Full Table

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.50.
Villian minraises to $2, 2 folds, Hero minraises to $4, 6 folds, Villian calls.

Flop: ($9.25) 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (<font color="blue"> (2 players)</font>
Villian checks, Hero bets $6.50, Villain calls.

Turn: ($21.50) A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue"> (2 players)</font>
Villian checks, Hero bets $14, Villian calls.

River: ($48) 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue"> (2 players)</font>
Villian checks, Hero ???

Villian has about $40 left and I cover. Comments on all streets appreciated.

[emil3000]

Small valuebet $15-20 I think is good, he might call with an overpair. Would he call flop with A high?

Minreraise preflop is goofy, why did you do that? What are his raising standards?

[beavens]

i wouldve just called preflop

I posted a similiar question just after yours... I'm fairly confident the right call here is to check. In Theory of Poker, Sklansky argues that you should not bet once the cards are out if you cannot beat the holding of a probable caller. Out of the possible card combinations he could be playing 9's up (probably 9's and 3's), Aces-up, trips, or even a full house. Given his loose preflop play any of those are about as likely. If you raise, 9's up will mostly fold, Aces-up, trips, or full house will all call and possibly check-raise. The only calling hand you can beat is A with a 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or 2.

Betting here will cause most hands you've beaten to fold. Few hands will call that you can beat. Given your (rightly played) aggressive betting it's just as likely he's holding trips or better and is going for a check-call or check-raise... I would check and see the showdown.

- Hungry J0e

[ajmargarine]

[ QUOTE ]
i wouldve just called preflop

[/ QUOTE ]

You guys are missing the power of the minraise. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I've got a hand I want to play against this villian. But I don't really want to play it 5-way. A minraise here hopes that everyone behind me folds, and that's what happened at minimal expense to myself. It worked like I wanted it to work in this hand.

[fathertime]

I'm not against min-raising at certain times for a specific reason. But if I want to isolate preflop, I'll make a real raise.

Now--if you minraised opponent because you were in a hu situation and wanted to make sure that he would call with a worse hand, I'd say--yeah, that makes sense.

[ajmargarine]

Well, I checked behind. Villian had 88 and MHIG. In hindsight, I should have went with my gut and bet a little something. He would have called me on the river with his 8's and so I missed value.

[Malachii]

Mmmm. Minraise is interesting. I'd be happy to play this multiway though. I would usually check turn, although it depends on the Villain. Given your read, I think betting is okay as long as you can fold to a C/R. What's your plan if he leads river for $30 or so? That would make me sick.

It's a very thin value bet on river. I'd just check it because I can't call a C/R and would like to see a showdown. However, a bet is alright against certain types of loose/passives.

[EMcWilliams]

Loose weak villian will call with a lot worse aces there, and will think his hand is goot a lot of the time. I like it.

[yvesaint]

is he real loose post-flop? if so, bet more on the turn

definitely bet river as played ... bet at least 20