200NL River play OOP with two pair

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($337.70)
UTG+1 ($176.90)
MP1 ($178.05)
MP2 ($98.10)
CO ($92.05)
Button ($189.35)
SB ($81.55)
Hero ($275.10)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, 8.
3 folds, MP2 calls $2, 1 fold, Button calls $2, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($8) J, 8, 9 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $7, MP2 calls $7, Button folds, SB folds.

Turn: ($22) A (2 players)
Hero bets $12, MP2 calls $12.

River: ($46) 7 (2 players)
Hero ???...

---

Villian was 56/22/2 over about 40 hands.

How do you like the play up to the river, and what's your river move?

1/3 pot. It's a blocking bet and is one that's raised if beat. Hope for a fold, but you can't check here because you'll want to fold to any bet more than $15. Keep the betting on your side.

I agree..block that shite.

Slightly off-topic, but I happy to create a new thread if you prefer nogenius...

How do you keep your blocking bets from getting automatically raised by an observant opponent? I guess you should occasionally make a blocking-sized bet instead of a value-sized bet, but I never see that play advocated here. Can anyone come up with instances where you might make a blocking-sized bet for deception?

Perhaps if you are against an aware opponent that has repeatedly raised your blocking bets, you could make a blocking-sized bet with a monster so your opp raises and you can 3-bet? It would be better than value-betting outright, since opp would probably not call that bet.

When I have tried this it hasn't worked out, but putting out a "fake block bet" is a good way to induce a bluff...probably only works in very very aggressive games though.

In the free video at cardrunners.com, the commentator is playing someone on tilt. he flops a set of 7 in a reraised pot and I think he bet/calls, an ace hits the turn, he check/calls, then pauses and puts out a tiny "block bet" and the opp bluffs all in.

op - river sucks, but I also would block/thin-value bet there...not too many opps have the balls to raise on a bluff.