Blocking for value

[EverettKings]

Stars 150 a minute ago. Table was pretty tight, villain hadn't played enough hands to give me a read (besides generally tight).

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

UTG+1 (t1960)
MP1 (t1920)
MP2 (t2760)
MP3 (t2510)
CO (t1685)
Button (t1570)
SB (t1000)
Hero (t1570)
UTG (t1350)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls t50, [color=#666666]7 folds</font>, Hero checks.

Flop: (t125) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG checks.

Turn: (t125) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
[color=#CC3333]Hero bets t125</font>, [color=#CC3333]UTG raises to t250</font>, Hero calls t125.

River: (t625) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
[color=#CC3333]Hero bets t300</font>, [color=#CC3333]UTG raises to t900</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1825

I actually led the river like this (as per my plan) before noticing the diamond. He paused for like 20 seconds before his river raise. Whatever you make of that.

I simply couldn't see him bluffing at me here. Thoughts on the fold and the general line?

[LethalRose]

check/call if you wont call a raise.

[Dave D]

[ QUOTE ]
check/call if you wont call a raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree.

Runner runner flush seems pretty unlikely, especially considering his turn minraise. I definatly would have called here. Way too much in the pot/invested to fold.

A flush draw min raises the turn? I doubt it. I expect him to do that with TPGK to see where he stands.

[EverettKings]

Name a hand that he raises the river with that I beat. One.


I agree that a check/call is better than a bet/fold, but I made my river bet before really processing the last card. I called the turn intending to lead the river for 1/2-2/3 pot but didn't think about the implications of the Jd until after I bet.

Anyway I can't fathom him making a play at me here, given my line and the scariness of the board. I put him on diamonds or QJ. I actually thought he was "slowplaying" a decent queen, which is why I took the turn/river line that I did. The Jd was a really bad card though, and check/calling a t500 bet wasn't going to be fun. I also didn't want to see KQ check behind. I mean he really wouldn't raise me for value here with anything at all that I beat. And a bluff just doesn't fit here, I donno.

[Jason Strasser]

Block for a little more so you feel better folding to a raise. There is a chance he has a hand like JT and is moving you off the best hand, and also the possibility of him raising a worse hand for value, you never know. Something like slow played AA/KK or something.

If you feel comfortable blocking for 300 and folding to a raise, then great. If I have any respect for my opponent and his ability to make a move despite the texture of this board, I'd bet more and feel better about folding to the raise.

-Jason

[Dave D]

[ QUOTE ]
Name a hand that he raises the river with that I beat. One.


I agree that a check/call is better than a bet/fold, but I made my river bet before really processing the last card. I called the turn intending to lead the river for 1/2-2/3 pot but didn't think about the implications of the Jd until after I bet.

Anyway I can't fathom him making a play at me here, given my line and the scariness of the board. I put him on diamonds or QJ. I actually thought he was "slowplaying" a decent queen, which is why I took the turn/river line that I did. The Jd was a really bad card though, and check/calling a t500 bet wasn't going to be fun. I also didn't want to see KQ check behind. I mean he really wouldn't raise me for value here with anything at all that I beat. And a bluff just doesn't fit here, I donno.

[/ QUOTE ]


Crap, when I first read the read I thought you had a set of 4s. Still, I think top pair or second pair is possible here. I would have reraised the turn, and check/call the river still.

It's still early in the tourney, and if its sub 100 buy in, donkyness is still entirely possible. Who min raises the turn and checks the flop anyway?

[EverettKings]

[ QUOTE ]
Block for a little more so you feel better folding to a raise. There is a chance he has a hand like JT and is moving you off the best hand, and also the possibility of him raising a worse hand for value, you never know. Something like slow played AA/KK or something.

If you feel comfortable blocking for 300 and folding to a raise, then great. If I have any respect for my opponent and his ability to make a move despite the texture of this board, I'd bet more and feel better about folding to the raise.

-Jason

[/ QUOTE ]

He had 1k to start the river. If i bet any more than 300, his push will be so trivial that I have to call. Do you think I can bet 500 and fold for 500 more? I'd rather check/call 500 in that case.

The point is that I might actually get a call from a worse hand with 300, and while it opens the door a smidgen to a bluff, I think that this board demands that he call or fold with anything semimarginal. OK if he has total air then maybe a small fraction of the time he gets up the guts to do this but I'm not quite so sure. Weird spot.