Dabbling in $100 NL again

[outphase]

I haven't played NLHE, mainly a LHE player. The river line made me wonder... If the bet was much higher I'd have to let it go, but am I right to take the passive road on the river? He bet 1/8 the pot so I figure this was the cheapest way I can showdown. Any raise I make would only be called/reraised by a better hand or am I wrong with this logic?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

MP3 ($92.50)
CO ($98.50)
Button ($114.30)
SB ($109.50)
BB ($50.35)
UTG ($118.75)
Hero ($39)
MP1 ($53.15)
MP2 ($141.55)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with J, A.
1 fold, Hero calls $1, 4 folds, Button calls $1, 1 fold, BB checks.

Flop: ($3.50) 8, 3, J (3 players)
BB bets $2, Hero raises to $6, Button folds, BB calls $4.

Turn: ($15.50) 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $8, BB calls $8.

River: ($31.50) K (2 players)
BB bets $4, Hero calls $4.

Final Pot: $39.50

[PokerPatNEU]

Looks perfect. You're river logic is absolutely correct. No better hand folds, no worse hand calls, so there is no point to raise no matter how weak.

[johnny_fish]

Weird river bet. KJ?

[Silly String]

He executed a great blocking bet. To small to be a value bet. You are very right to merely call this bet and scoop what is already in the pot. Don't get greedy.
Perfectly played. Way to keep the pot small with a persistent caller. I put him on J10 or Jworse.

[TalentedTom]

I hate people who don't buy in for the max
But with regards to the hand, you have shown power on the flop, meaning you have either AJ or KJ, turn bet was kinda weak (1/2 pot) but comparted to your stack size, its a meaninfull bet.

His river bet is what is called an ACTION STOPPER, i have said this many times before. He is unsure of his hand and wants a cheap showdown, KJ would bet more aggresivley on this river because it is dominated ONLY by trips.

Consider what type of hand raises $2 into a $3 pot from UTG? I say something of the lines of medium PP 99-TT or jack with a medium kicker (JT or QJ)

You are probably ahead (assuming random opponent, because you have given us absolutley no information on him) If you wanna make more profit you raise it up making it $6-8 more to go, but there's no harm in playing it safe i suppose.

[STIdrivr]

i would just call the river probably

[salt3d]

If this guy is a fish, I can mimic his thinking with disturbing ease. I reckon he has TPNK until the river, which scares the crap out of him, so he bets hoping you'll just call, because if he checks he knows you'll bet more than he wants to call. Even though he would call anyway. Alternatively Kx spades would keep him interested, and he was looking for a raise on the river. I'm guessing here based on how I'd have played those hands a few months ago.

At any rate, I agree that if you're going to win this pot, you won't be getting any more of his chips into it.

[Fnord]

Raise pre-flop. With a 40bb stack you probably can play this hand profitably that way, but it's kinda close.

[TalentedTom]

Raise pre-flop. With a 40bb stack you probably can play this hand profitably that way, but it's kinda close.

Yes I agree with this, with a 40BB stack your goal is not to chase draws, its simply to play big pots and have people call you down because of a lack of respect. Small stacks are great at applying pressure

[Fnord]

Yes I agree with this, with a 40BB stack your goal is not to chase draws, its simply to play big pots and have people call you down because of a lack of respect. Small stacks are great at applying pressure

Also when you're short, showdown is cheaper. This can be a big edge for a limit player moving into NLHE or when moving into a bigger game.