AK unimproved - blind battle

lostinthought · #1 01-14-2005, 11:32 AM

I think I am good, but I hate folding to a check-raise. What do you do on the river?

I assume pre-flop, flop and turn are standard..

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP folds, CO folds, Button calls, SB raises, Hero 3-bets, Button folds, SB calls.

Flop: (7 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB calls.

River: (6.50 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 6.50 BB

krishanleong · #2 01-14-2005, 11:37 AM

You check the river. What is he going to call with that you beat often enough to make up for the times he calls you and you lose?

Krishan

Guy McSucker · #3 01-14-2005, 12:11 PM

The river check here is poker 101.

He folds everything you beat and calls with everything that beats you. Okay, maybe not "everything" but very close. A bet has no value at all.

Read "Heads up on the river" in Sklansky's "Theory of Poker".

To know about the prior action we'd need to know something about his preflop raising standards from the SB against a limper (many players have high standards for that) and his flop calling standards. Will he call the flop with no pair? If so, bet the turn. If not, be more inclined to check. On the other hand if he's going to seize on your turn check as a sign of weakness, maybe bet the turn anyway and take the free showdown.

Whatever you do, check the river.

Guy.

Grisgra · #4 01-14-2005, 12:42 PM

Admittedly he will call here with a weaker ace . . . but that's about it, as far as something you're beating. Check the river, as everyone else said.

lostinthought · #5 01-14-2005, 01:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Admittedly he will call here with a weaker ace . . . but that's about it, as far as something you're beating. Check the river, as everyone else said.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the reason I posted this - on a full table, it would be an automatic check for me.

But on short tables, I have bluffed at large pots on missed draws, and have been called down with all kinds of ace highs.. (worse the king kicker). So I was wondering if heads up there is any value betting AK on flops like this on the river.

I take the pot down, and he has AJ. I wonder if he would have called me.

Of course, that's not important. The question is if this play in this context over the long run has positive ev, but it appears the consensus is no.

Benjamin · #6 01-14-2005, 03:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[But on short tables, I have bluffed at large pots on missed draws, and have been called down with all kinds of ace highs.. (worse the king kicker). So I was wondering if heads up there is any value betting AK on flops like this on the river.
The question is if this play in this context over the long run has positive ev, but it appears the consensus is no.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think it's closer than previous posters have said. Some players will definitely call you with any ace and some big kings there, and they would have played back at you with (almost) any pair. So against some opponents who you can trust to play that way, I think a value bet can be appropriate.

With no read a check behind is pretty certainly best.

B.