Checking the flop with a monster on a scary board

[gharp]

There's a whole lot of variables involved in milking that extra 0.5 bet and it's possible you'll get far less. I'll agree that against the right mix of players it could be better to slow-play this hand. But the typical micro-limit player is personified by their love of calling and the best way to exploit that is to just bet.

Speaking of betting...why didn't you bet that river?

I have issues on the river sometimes and I'm not sure where they come from. It is something I'm working on. It's not like I wasn't going to call a bet if one of the other two in the hand woke up and bet. My aggro is a little over 1.3 and I think part of it is I'm too passive with made hands on the river. I blame my mother. She always warned me about getting c/r on the river...

this card is a blank and you should bet it like a lot. The times you you get c/r will be more than made up by the times they check and call your bet with a marginal hand. This is another key idea stressed by SSHE.

[ QUOTE ]
YOU! MUST! BET! THE! FLOP!

[/ QUOTE ]

OK I meant to answer this one but forgot. This is a smallish pot you'd rather just pick up on the flop. This hand falls into the category of a strong hand, where you bet for value--you can't really protect it. With only a true monster do you want to try to build the pot.

IMO it is very bad to not bet the flop here as well as the river. Defend your hand, bet out.

[bozlax]

I see neither a monster nor a scary board, here. And, while a flush draw could properly call a bet (or even raise) on this flop, why does that mean that you should give them a free card? Give a free card when you're not sure if you've got the best hand and if you do the free card isn't likely to make it the worst. You got lucky that UTG+1 bet for you on the turn. An entire SPCA of stray kittens died when you checked the river.

[bozlax]

[ QUOTE ]
OK, this is bad example because the board is double coordinated. I should have found an example that didn't include the straight draw.

Forget the straight. Forget the straight. Forget the straight. What I tell you 3 times is true.

The point is that the pot is too big to bet someone off a flush draw on the flop. It's a case where betting doesn't improve your odds of winning. Waiting for the turn gives you a better shot at getting rid of a flush draw. Not much with the micro limit players but still. What I've noticed is that when the flush misses the turn I tend to get more action compared to un-coordinated boards where I lead out on all streets.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the first place, you're not trying to get anyone off a flush draw. You're trying to increase the amount you win from them the 65% of the time their flush doesn't hit.

Second, the last part of this is idiotic. You're going to get LESS action from a flush draw when the turn doesn't hit them, not more.

Finally, this hand was badly played, this hand was badly played, this hand was badly played.

[bozlax]

[ QUOTE ]
Is risking .5 bb to get an extra .5 bb worth it ever?

[/ QUOTE ]

You can answer this question for yourself. Hint: how much pot equity do you need to make it right to risk .5 to win .5?

[Pedigree]

[ QUOTE ]
IMO it is very bad to not bet the flop here as well as the river. Defend your hand, bet out.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're not really defending your hand against anything but a smaller pair. Don't bet out to defend your hand. Bet out for value.