2 replies to this topic

[princeof56k]

This is for low limit holdem.While this is real general question, I was wondering how other people on this forum handle betting Top Pair on the river. I'm assuming here that your playing premium hands and your kickers are pretty good. As with most poker strategy, I know it all depends on the situation. But what type of board usually causes people to keep betting TP or just check on the river? Is it usually +EV to bet out Top Pair regardless of the board?This seems to be one of my bigger problems. And I figure its costing me bets one way or another. Either I check and then the other checks and I lose a bet because I had him beat. Or I bet out and get raised, in which case I lose a bet because I call his raise.I'm not beat everytime, but the following situations seem to get me in trouble.1) A third suited card comes on the turn or river, or the board pairs on the turn or river. Sometimes I bet out. Sometimes I check/call.2) People slow playing just about anything. Sometimes this happens with a coordinated board, sometimes not. I've seen people try and slow play a pocket pair higher than the board.My usual strategy is to bet on the river.

[CavemanDoctor]

This largely depends on how many and what type of players are in the pot. If there are loose players in the pot, be inclined to value bet with top pair. They will likely call you down with medium pair. Also, be more inclined to bet if there are few opponents in the pot. With many opponents, who have not shown strength, it's still probably best to value bet. What's not so clear-cut is when a scare card comes on the river. The more potential draws the scare card completes, the less willing you should be to value bet, particularly with a good amount of opponents. Chances are at least one of them was on some sort of draw.Against tight players, of course, you must be less inclined to value bet as they typically hold stronger hands if still playing to the river.A lot of times it's a judgment call. All things being equal, though, you should value bet. Don't try to convince yourself that any card on the river is a scare card, if your opponents haven't shown strength througout the hand.

[rog]

The question I ask myself is, what hands are good enough to call a raise, but lose to top pair? How likely is it that my opponent has one of these hands? At most tables I dont expect a raise to be called by anyone holding less than top pair. Maybe top pair, worse kicker, and that's about it. At a passive table I'll sometimes bet to avoid showing my hand if I'm pretty sure top pair is good. Keep them guessing. Eventually the fishes start calling raises to see what you have.