UTG+1 was tight-passive/passive. How was my play on the flop/turn? And what do I when he checks the river?


Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $100 (9 handed)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP3 ($86.45)
CO ($93.55)
Hero ($111.63)
SB ($97)
BB ($131.35)
UTG ($93.30)
UTG+1 ($94)
MP1 ($96.20)
MP2 ($163.09)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , . SB posts a blind of $0.50.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $4, 4 folds, Hero calls $4, 2 folds.

Flop: ($9.50) , , (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $10, Hero calls $10.

Turn: ($29.50) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $30, Hero calls $30.

River: ($89.50) (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero ???

Final Pot: $89.50

if he is tight passive then you are probably in trouble but i would have to check that river. You might push him off with a bluff but because you never raised him earlier, you have less information on what he has. I think you need to raise the flop to determine what he has and how to play from then on. If you raise the flop and he reraises, you can safely fold.

On the flop, what are you beating? AK and that's it. Would a tight/passive bet full pot on the flop and the turn with AK unimproved? I don't see it. Fold the turn. If I called the turn I would check the river. $44 of his $94 is already in the pot, and I expect him to call any bet with his AA or KK.

Yes, check the river.

You were a calling station in this hand. Raise on the flop and tell him that you have a real hand and find out how much he likes his. Call, call, call is a good way to lose money.

I agree with Briachek that I reraise him on the flop to find out where you stand earlier.

That being said, am I the only one that sees villain's play as scared? He's a rock that just chickened out on the river (that's different than value betting or some other move). I bet he has QQ-AA.

If you check the river, you are going to lose in my opinion. But I think this river is very bluffable. You need pot sized or greater. I think villain is scared of the hearts and the paired 5 which all hit on the river. Or he might even put you on a set. he has no idea what you have. You pretty much know what he has. Advantage you.

it not really scared, its smart. If he does have AA or KK, if he bets that river and gets raised, he has to fold. However, if he checks, a wider variety of hands will bet, some that he beats, some that he doesn't. Most the ones that don't won't call a bet so he gains money when he check/calls. Ones that have him beat would bet and he loses but he loses a smaller amount or the same if he bet and was raised and has to fold but at least he gets to see what they had.

Interesting point Brian. I could see how it eliminates some of the hands.

However, if he bets and gets CRd he has to fold right? So if he's playing AA here and checks, and Mr. Big Jacks bets the pot, doesn't he still have to fold like he would if he were check raised?

I should have raised the flop, agreed. I put him on AK, I really did - so I kind of expected him to slow down on the turn. His second pot bet amazed me, and I thought about putting him all-in there and then, but decided to just call. I guess I didn't believe him. Why? I have no idea. (I had been playing for well over four hours straight, maybe that has something to with it.) When he checked the river, I again thought about pushing, but I knew he'd never fold a hand I could beat. If he had AK, he'd fold, but not with an overpair. So I checked and he showed a pair of queens.