I hate missing bets on the river.

[all_aces]

Full 5-max table, 25-50 online.

I open-limp UTG, because that seems to be the texture of the game, for at least 30 seconds or so. Everybody folds to the BB, who is an ultra-aggressive losing player. He checks. I have A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].

I like to limp with these hands, as they generally pay off against these opponents who relentlessly try to steal.

Flop comes 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. He checks, I check. I'd bet here if I thought BB would be suspicious of my check, but I can't give him that much credit.

Turn is 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] [7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]]. He bets, I raise, he re-raises, I cap. I put him on a pair of sevens.

River is 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]]

I stick to my read and bet when he checks.

Comments?

[ajizzle]

Let me guess. He folded.

That river card is just as much of a scare card to him than it is to you. Given you have position, I like your aggresive style on the turn and river. I think the place you missed your extra bet was on the flop. If he's so ultra-aggresive, don't play games with him and take advantage of every street. I can't blame you much though, you did cap the turn (good work). But I would second guess myself after this hand if I could have stilled capped the turn AND get some bets in on the flop. Though it turned out great for you, I generally like to bet every street with a good hand and an loose/aggressive player.

[all_aces]

Great comments ajizzle. You're probably right about betting the flop, although that may have slowed him down on the turn. I'm not sure--sometimes I'd rather not tap the glass until I smash it with a hammer.

What interested me most about your comments though is that you didn't hate the river bet, and I'm glad. It gets to the heart of what I was trying to communicate in posting this hand, which is that I hate missing bets on the river.

Too often I check my pair of kings when an ace comes on the river, even though I have already solidly put my opponent on a pair of 10s, which he will make a crying call with. Granted, sometimes these river scare cards lose me the pot, and at least one bet on the river, but I'm convinced that I am making more in the long run by betting in these spots.

Results to follow.

[all_aces]

He made the crying call on the river and I took it down without knowing what he had. I'm thinking a pair of 7s or maybe a worse 4.