Marginal value bet river situation 3/6 high

[bholdr]

Sometimes on the river one is in one of those situations where there is really no point in value betting, even though you have a relitivly strong hand... this is one of the ones that confuse me:

I was third to act on third st, and was dealt [JJ]7, there was one dead 7, Js are live, and there was a Q behind me, who called. four saw fourth.

I caught a suited ace and bet out, the player with the Q showing got an offsuit 8 and raised (!!). another player on some kind of draw called, so did i.

On fifth i got my third jack, and check raised the bettor who called- the draw stayed around, too.

i bet sixth and got calls

seventh:
there were three players in the pot...

The Q, showing Q8K2
me, showing 7AJ4
and the 'draw' with 45TK on board
flushes are highly unlikely


now, i'm first to act, do i bet out and plan to call a raise, check-raise, or check-call?

my thought: if i bet there i might well get a call,, but if i check, i've represented a strong enough hand that maybe nobody will bet unless i'm beat.

i'm basicly trying to find that all-important extra bet here. thoughts?

[Andy B]

You might mention whether you raised or called on third.

If there were only the draw in against you, you might check, because if the draw is all he has, he'll raise if he gets there and fold if he doesn't. You need to be sure that the draw is all he has, though, because anyone will pay you off with two pair when you have no pair and no draw showing.

The other guy has something, however. He will pay you off with a worse hand a very large percentage of the time. You have a clear value bet.

And I wouldn't necessarily put the "draw" on a draw. He could have a straight draw, but he could also have two pair or something like pocket Nines. He could easily have enough to pay you off with, but he probably won't beat you.