One of those weird 1 pair hands with position

[CrackerZack]

Ok here's the situation. SB has done a few semi-strange things, but nothing completely ridiculous from what I've seen. He's been flopping really good though and has built a huge stack. He's willing to limp and call raises with questionable hands, but there hasn't been a heavy action hand where you showed down crap so he's suspect, but not sure he's real bad.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (9 handed)

MP2 (t5500)
MP3 (t5940)
CrackerZack (t5620)
Button (t4250)
SB (t10610)
BB (t1805)
UTG (t4225)
UTG+1 (t4894)
MP1 (t3435)

Preflop: CrackerZack is CO with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CrackerZack raises to t525, Button folds, SB calls t450, BB folds.

Flop: (t1200) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
SB checks, CrackerZack bets t850, SB calls t850.

Turn: (t2900) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
SB checks, CrackerZack bets t2150, SB calls t2150.

River: (t7200) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
SB checks, CrackerZack bets t2095 (All-In), SB calls t2095.

Final Pot: t11390

I hate going to war in NL with one pair. Should I have checked the flop? Checked the river? Smaller bets?

Thanks in advance,
Zack

[Joe Tall]

I would have went 3xBB preflop and after that would have played the flop and turn the same.

Not sure what he check-called the turn with...but that could make a good arguement for checking the river through as I can only imagine a better hand calling.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[Sundevils21]

I like how you bet the flop.
I like the turn bet. Am I correct in assuming it was a value bet?
I would have checked the river, I can't imagine any worse hands calling the all in. I'm guessing that prob the ace gave him two pair.

Did you want him to call the turn bet or did you want him to fold? What if he moves in on the turn? Do you feel like you have to call? I agree, I hate TPTK hands when they just call big bets. I also hate going all in with just toppair.

[Ian J]

I think the river is a clear cut check. What would a decent player be calling these huge bets with? The pot is already got quite big and you only have one pair. I'm guessing he showed you a set of 7's or T's.

[DOTTT]

I put him on AT or a flopped a set. In either case, I would check the turn and call a river bet. Giving a free card cant hurt here, I can’t imagine he called a big bet pre flop with 98.

[CrackerZack]

A decent player, I'd think I was dead, but he was suspect. I hadn't seen him get WAY out of line before this hand but he had been involved in a couple of hands he shouldn't have been but none of those had heavy action. I didn't think he was decent but wasn't ready to call him a full blown idiot.

[ZootMurph]

I'd have checked the river as well. The pot is fairly large. If you are winning, the pot is already nice sized. If you aren't winning, he has suckered you into throwing all your chips in.

[CrackerZack]

I agree with everyone that responded that the river bet was unwise. At the time I was just looking at a monster pot, with a decent hand and pushed and prayed. I should've saved those chips since I'm gonna be beat here about all the time and 13 BBs early in the level is enough to be scrappy for a bit. I wasn't sure if my flop bet was a little much but I really expected to take it down there as that's a pretty safe flop for my hand. In a limit game, I'd be more worried about the T but in NL, I didn't think it was that bad of a card. (Good thinking? Bad thinking?)

Anyway, for those who have been following this situation closely waiting for results here they are. He obviously called and I show my AKs. He graciously showed his A6s and MHIG. He immediatly went from suspect to confirmed full blown idiot. Thanks everyone for your help. I'm trying to work on my tourney game now and hopefully will be posting more hands here. Thanks in advance.

Zack

[banditbdl]

Yeah, I'd say in general I prefer a check on the river with an opponenet I'm not sure about calling that much action when I only have One pair. However, this hand is a great example of why betting the river here is rarely a huge mistake as you can just never underestimate an online opponents abililty to call with next to nothing.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I'd check behind on the river. He could be trapping with a flopped set. Neither the flop nor the turn have reasonable draws, so why wouldn't he let you keep betting his hand.

You also don't have to bet so much on the turn. There's no draw out there. I'd bet half the pot.