Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: BMF'er is UTG+1 with [Qs], [Kd].
1 fold.

I raise KQo UTG+1. You should too.

Flop: (7.50 SB) [Ks], [7s], [Jh] (3 players)
BMF'er bets, MP3 calls, CO folds.

Top pair, two spades. Clearly need to bet.

Turn: (4.75 BB) [Qd] (2 players)
BMF'er bets, MP3 calls.

Two pair. Feeling pretty good about my hand if a spade misses. Another easy bet.

River: (6.75 BB) [Jc] (2 players)
BMF'er checks, MP3 bets, BMF'er calls.

Not a great river. Spidey sense tingling. I opt not to value bet, and check with the intention of calling.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

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For me to be posting, obviously I lost and he caught his jack on the river. Meh, we've all had worse beats.

My question is... am I making myself more money long term by betting that river and calling a raise, or by checking and calling?

Depends on what you think he was going for. If you think he was on the flush or some straight draw that missed, and will try and bluff the river if you check, then check/call. If you think he's calling you down with a pair, then value bet.

Easy bet on the river against totally passive opposition.

1000000 times easier on Party .5/1.

I'm in a long term EV kind of mood, and I'm trying to figure out if that is a situation I should be value betting. Early position, top two pair, the board pairs under me on the river, heads up with a cold caller.

I see your point about how everything always depends though. I guess I did have a read, because I was right.

TJ, it's really read-dependent.

against a passive player, bet that every time with the intention of calling a raise.

against an aggressive player, check that with the intention of calling a bet.

why?

against a passive player, if you check, you're only losing a bet when you're beat, but winning nothing when you're not. by betting, you lose the same (one) when you're beat (assuming he's passive, he won't raise... both tight/passive and loose/passive players) but win one bet every time you're ahead (a loose/passive player will call either way, i'm not completely sure what to do against a tight/passive player since you might only be getting called when you're beat... maybe it's best to check-call against a tight/passive, but i'm totally not sure).

against an aggressive player, you might induce a bluff by checking, and you are certain he'll bet. if you bet, you only get called/raised when you're beat, but when you check, he might bet with anything, so you win a bet when you've got it and lose the same (one) when you don't.

aseem

Good call.

I was thinking I should have bet (even though I my read was that I was behind).