$1.10 NLHE: Bet the river, or check

[GDRileyx]

$1.10 NL HE: Bet the river, or check

pokerstars Game #26657540131: Tournament #150908507, $1.00+$0.10 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (25/50) - 2009/04/02 17:37:29 MT [2009/04/02 19:37:29 ET]
Table '150908507 332' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: GDRileyx (2910 in chips)
Seat 2: stuletev (2960 in chips)
Seat 3: ram-z 77 (2445 in chips)
Seat 4: thomajco16 (995 in chips)
Seat 6: Haffun83 (4675 in chips)
Seat 7: sandalsun (3065 in chips)
Seat 8: rompesietes (3120 in chips)
Seat 9: gustavasv (2305 in chips)
Haffun83: posts small blind 25
sandalsun: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GDRileyx [Kh Ad]
rompesietes: calls 50
gustavasv: folds
Glossip is connected
GDRileyx: calls 50
stuletev: folds
ram-z 77: folds
thomajco16: folds
Haffun83: calls 25
sandalsun: checks
*** FLOP *** [7h Kd 3c]
Haffun83: checks
sandalsun: bets 150
rompesietes: folds
GDRileyx: calls 150
Haffun83: folds
*** TURN *** [7h Kd 3c] [5c]
sandalsun: bets 150
GDRileyx: raises 450 to 600
sandalsun: calls 450
*** RIVER *** [7h Kd 3c 5c] [6s]
sandalsun: checks

I've got him on Kx, and if it's K4 or K6, he's laying a trap, intending to check raise. He might also have a busted draw, in which case he'd fold. If I value bet, and he check-raises, I have a tough decision.

What would you do?

Please don't try to make this about how you would have bet on earlier streets. I vary my play with AK preflop, and might well have played it differently at a different time. On the flop, I wanted to see what the player behind me did, rather than raising. I was kinda hoping he would take advantage of his position and raise, or at least call and sweeten the pot.

 

[LuckyChippy]

This is a prime example of this dilema. Generally in this situation if you bet and he calls/raises, you're beat. You have TPTK, on quite a scary board. He's been telling you he's got something, and with the pre-flop action it could be anything. In this case i will almost always check it, you have showdown value and don't need to bet to win. If you have him beat you take down a nice pot anyway. Oh and i think you played it well, interested to see what he showed/did.

 

[mecoble]

u cant bet there, check it way too many hands can beat u and ur only getting called by one of them. and u said u didnt want comments on how u played it on other streets but the reason u had a dilema on the river is because u played the hand so bad on the earlier streets. ak is not a hand to slow play and this is a perfect example why. u let 3 other see the flop for free and all u have is top pair. then u didnt raise the flop and let str8 draws get there and gave them more draws. because u didnt raise pre u cant put the blinds on a hand so they could have a 4 or any kind of 2 pair.

 

[DaFrench1]

As above. Check. You only get called by hands that beat you, maybe value from KQ-9 but you could be set up for a check-raise by putting a bet in here.

 

[rubslotionskin]

agreed....you've got showdown value.....not nearly enough bad hands call only way your betting here is as a bluff but again not enough better hands fold

 

[tenbob]

Why are you varying your play in a $1 MTT with AK ? Just bet it for value P/F and on all streets.

 

[CrossCrucificio]

What I would do here is just check. The flop has turned in to now a scary board. You're sensing a trap possibly here, so why even trigger the trap. Just check, and either you win the pot or you just saved some chips form being fed to the other player. Checking will be the correct play here.

 

[GDRileyx]

I checked. He had K9.

 

[switch0723]

Try not to butcher each street next time please.

Raise pre
Either call flop and turn or raise flop call turn, dont call flop raise turn.
Easy value bet on the river

 

[shinedown.45]

I'm agree with tenbob on this one, but as played I would have also checked on the river on such a board in a $1 MTT.

 

[ha cash nd]

There are 2 sides to every story but also many pros say that you should always check the river

 

[Poker Orifice]

REALLY EASY Check behind.
AND... I agree with the guy above who slashed how you played the hand from the get go.

 

[nevadanick]

Check the river, and I'm one who has no fault with your play at all, but then, I'm used to being a minority voice in these situations.

This was an MTT, not a ring game. Early levels. I've lost enough TPTK's in MTT's to know that even when it's an AKo, it is NOT a hand that I will want to lose big on.

 

[switch0723]

wtf, why are so many people checking the river? What on earth hands are you scared of?? This is a super easy bet/fold river

 

[dwolfg]

check. Chances are you are only being called if you are beat, unless you have pegged your opponent as a super calling station, then throw out a half pot value bet, if you believe you still have best hand.