PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FCP)

MP2 ($80.25)
MP3 ($9)
CO ($34.30)
Button ($20.35)
SB ($49.50)
BB ($73.65)
UTG ($34.45)
Hero ($23.50)
MP1 ($36.55)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A , A .
UTG calls $0.50, Hero raises to $2, 5 folds, SB calls $1.75, BB calls $1.50, UTG calls $1.50.

Flop: ($8) Q , 4 , Q (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $3, SB calls $3, BB folds, UTG folds.

Turn: ($14) 4 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($14) 9 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $4.5, SB raises to $20,

ok so this hand went down really funky. on the turn I checked, planning to call any medium-larger size bet on the river. i didnt want to get check raised off my hand. was that a mistake? after the river, when he checked to me, i put him on a lower pocket pair, so i wanted to value bet. when he raised all in, i was completely confuzed. what do you do here?

Seems like a clear fold, no? What hand could you possibly beat? Lower pocket pair doesn't make any sense. Looks more like a Q9 to QJ to me.

Def. fold.

He checked when he boated up. No reason to bet the river, what hand would call you that doesn't beat you?

I hate your river bet.

I definitely don't hate value betting this river, since I think we're ahead a lot, but your bet just looks so friggen weak, that his raise could mean anything.

If we bet a little stronger, we get a lot more accurate information if he raises.

Your flop bet sucks too.

The answer: Kick myself in the nuts for costing myself a showdown.

On that board, you're not losing a ton of value by checking behind. He's not often going to pay off too much without a full house here. Zach is right, your river bet looks so retardedly weak that many players will raise it with nothing and then you are in big trouble.

You said you cehcked the turn planning to call a bet on the river. That means that you wanted to get to showdown as cheaply as possible. Well, now you get there, but you get a little greedy and you open the door for him to take your showdown away.

I check this down every time. I don't EVER like doubled paired boards.

I don't see it as greedy; I see it as opportunistic. On this board we're likely WA/WB, so the turn check makes sense with the intention of calling a river bet. However, when he checks to us we're in a position to bet for value. It is the rare villain indeed who checks a queen or fullhouse in this spot after we've shown such a lackluster interest here. He may now call us with a weaker pocket pair putting us on overs. Checking behind here as played loses a lot of value IMO. Our river bet's too weak though and it invites a raise. As played I fold.

I'd be more inclined to check behind had we bet close to the pot on the flop. With more heat I think many players dump their pocket pairs OOP.

Value betting boards like that is really bad if you're not sure where you are in the hand. Most of the time the villain won't or can't call the bet. The few times that he does are not enough to offset the few times that he check-raises you.

If we are WA/WB, why are we betting the river? If we are WA, he can't call. If we are WB, we're getting check-raised. Where is the value?

If you're not confident to stand a check-raise, but you can definitely win a showdown, then there isn't much sense in betting. You cost yourself a chance to win the pot by making the bet on the river.

It's a pretty safe rule that you won't miss out on much value if you never bet into a double paired board without a full house.

I seriously can't imagine how someone could check that river, after both of us showing no interest on the turn, with a full house, and risk it getting checked through.

Honestly, that's becuase you're a limit player. The cost of you being wrong and getting check-raised only costs you one big bet. In NL, you make very large errors if you choose to make a bet that costs you a chance to go to showdown, and thus a chance to win the pot.

Lots of interesting ideas. I was also really torn about value betting the river, but I just couldnt imagine him checking a Q on the river, and I really put him on a lower pocket pair, but in retrospect, I certainly agree I should have bet more. I showed weakness and opened the door for a check raise.

Action:

I called, he showed AA, we split the pot.

His play is worse than yours becuase you also could have easily had a full house. His bet will fold all hands he beats and he'll lose an unnecessary $15.50 against the boat.

Also, villain checks a Q becuase he thinks he's likely to split the pot or needs you to bluff at it. He knows he's winning, but can give you a chance to bluff at the pot. That would be the reason that he checks.

wow that might be the worst check raise in history. He's got to put you on absolute zip which means you'd fold to the raise anyway.

9 handed.....somehow I think a lot more money should've gotten in the pot pf.