semi bluff and value bets

Here's another hand from my 1st Vegas prep session. Villion has been playing solid steady poker, this hand came up about an hour into my session. I think I played this okay, if it was limit I'd have bet the river w/o a 2nd thought. How'd I do?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

UTG ($79.35)
UTG+1 ($33.80)
MP1 ($60.15)
MP2 ($19.50)
MP3 ($44.75)
CO ($104.30)
Button ($53)
Hero ($44.50)
BB ($58.38)

Preflop: Hero is SB with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Hero posts a blind of $0.25.
UTG calls $0.50, 4 folds</font>, CO calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, Hero (poster) completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($2.50) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (5 players)</font>
Hero bets $2</font>, BB folds, UTG calls $2, CO calls $2, Button folds.

Turn: ($8.50) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)</font>
Hero bets $5</font>, UTG folds, CO calls $5.

River: ($18.50) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)</font>
Hero checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: $18.50

A flush is a good hand. You want to make money on your good hands. Just because he called the turn doesn't mean he has a higher flush.

You absolutely have to bet this river, I would bet around $10-15ish and probably fold to a raise. Rest of the hand is fine.

[ajmargarine]

Because you led the flop, your flush is disguised. It's doubtful he puts you on a flush, and so I would lead the river for $11 or so, and I may even call a raise there (villian dependant).

So, I think you missed alot of value here on the end. Missing river value bets is a huge leak. The pot grows exponentionally along the way and so the biggest bets are made on the river. You don't get to showdown every hand, and so the times you do, you really need to take advantage of it with a bet on the end.

[trumpman84]

Bet the river...everyone is not trying to trap you every hand, he probably has what his line suggests...1 or 2 pairs thats wants a showdown...at the very least you should be blocking this river if you think this opponent has a flush a high % of the time.