.50-$1 NL Live game.

Hero on the button with KQ off.

Two limpers, Hero bets $3.50, Sb (LAG and very good) pauses every so slightly and calls, limpers fold.

Flop 8-6-A rainbow.

Sb checks. Hero bets $6. Sb calls quickly but not emphatically.

turn 2 rainbow. Sb checks. Hero checks behind.

River K. Sb checks, Hero turns over QK.


Should I have bet this river after the check? Sb knows me somewhat as a TAG, but still considers me a good but lesser player. Sb is also a very, very good tournament NL Holdem player, even better than he is at cash games.


Thanks for the tips~

If he's a good player, then yea, it's the better play to check behind.

Assuming he doesn't already have you beat, I don't think he'd call with a mid-pocket pair, and he's definitely not calling with a busted draw.
The fact that he knows you as a TAG only makes this point more prevalent, as he'd be less inclined to call your bets without a hand.

You're either going to get check/raised, called by a better hand, or you are going to fold his hand, so I would expect your bet to have a slightly negative expectation.

well-played.

I don't think you bet this river. If he was calling you with a mid pair (which i think is fairly possible), he'll put you on kq if you bet this river or atleast a higher pair not believing him for an ace. Maybe if you made it small enough, he would call, but I think checking is good.

My instincts are to bet this turn, but I am not very TAG at anything besides 2/5 live table.

Always interesting playing against somebody like you, because either you bleed me slowly over time or I bust you in one hand.

I think you forget about the times I raise this with 68 and you call with aj. (not you but most players)

Flop comes 6-8-A rainbow, turn 7, river 7, and I counterfeit the poop out of you.

:oops:

The fact that he is a good player and is out of position, I think you have the best hand here. Checking and calling with top pair here is something good players won't do very often. He wouldn't play an ace this way would he?

Finally to the river play, giving him his due respect I would check behind. The question about value betting the river vs "your only getting called by a hand that beats you" is a tough one. I tend to value bet against bad players who call too often, and check behind skilled players.

One more thing to consider, how about firing at it again on the turn?