Play it safe to lose less or bet hard to win more?

[johnnyBuz]

Which styles do you guys like to play? I guess if I was better at reading hands, I would bet harder, but sometimes hands come up like this one where it's tough to know where I stand. I was actually putting him on Queens and I wish I raised him more on the river because it would be tough to get away from top pair, but the paired Ts had me thinking he made his first bet with mid pair and may have caught his trips. Looking back now, I immediately regret not betting another $10 on the river. Anyway here's the hand.

PokerStars Game #4498926569: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2006/04/02 - 16:53:08 (ET)
Table 'Scheila' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: kurtt69 ($30.35 in chips)
Seat 4: UWZERO20 ($24.60 in chips)
Seat 5: johnnyBuz ($74.35 in chips)
Seat 6: quietstorm01 ($5.90 in chips)
quietstorm01: posts small blind $0.25
kurtt69: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to johnnyBuz [Kd Kh]
UWZERO20: calls $0.50
Jillikens06 leaves the table
johnnyBuz: raises $1 to $1.50
quietstorm01: folds
kurtt69: calls $1
UWZERO20: calls $1
*** FLOP *** [2s Ts Qs]
kurtt69: bets $0.50
UWZERO20: folds
johnnyBuz: raises $4.50 to $5
kurtt69: calls $4.50
*** TURN *** [2s Ts Qs] [Tc]
kurtt69: checks
johnnyBuz: bets $5
kurtt69: calls $5
*** RIVER *** [2s Ts Qs Tc] [Jd]
kurtt69: checks
johnnyBuz: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
kurtt69: shows [Qc 4c] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
johnnyBuz: shows [Kd Kh] (two pair, Kings and Tens)
johnnyBuz collected $23.55 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $24.75 | Rake $1.20
Board [2s Ts Qs Tc Jd]
Seat 2: kurtt69 (big blind) showed [Qc 4c] and lost with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 4: UWZERO20 folded on the Flop
Seat 5: johnnyBuz (button) showed [Kd Kh] and won ($23.55) with two pair, Kings and Tens
Seat 6: quietstorm01 (small blind) folded before Flop

[alias2211]

there aren't many hands you beat at the end that would call a third bet. if anything, betting there is only going to give an opponent a chance to go over the top of you, whether or not he has anything at all. there is so much coordination there that you should check behind the river as played

[Silly String]

Well played. I like the check behind here rather than betting the river.

[johnnyBuz]

i also noticed that the majority of the hands i've posted and played for that matter come when i am in position. i used to not think about it so much, but now i generally only like playing in position unless i'm limping bb, sb with decent cards, or mp with suited connectors or something of that sort where there's not too much pressure on me.

am i shooting myself in the foot by not playing more out of position or is that the generally accepted rule? this hand wouldn't be all that difficult out of position, but i just like having the feeling of being able to call, fold, check, or reraise after the other players act.

[johnnyBuz]

there aren't many hands you beat at the end that would call a third bet. if anything, betting there is only going to give an opponent a chance to go over the top of you, whether or not he has anything at all. there is so much coordination there that you should check behind the river as played

so you don't think TPTK/TPGK wouldn't call another 1/3 sized bet on the river or is that just setting myself up for an over the top reraise?

[alias2211]

so you don't think TPTK/TPGK wouldn't call another 1/3 sized bet on the river or is that just setting myself up for an over the top reraise?

Maybe they would but it would be an awful call. In fact, if they liked their hand enough to call a value bet, they would probably like it well enough to push back hard. What if you bet 1/3 and then they go all in back? Would you call? Maybe sometimes you would based on a read, but putting yourself in that spot is not wise on that board. You probably have the best hand but you don't want to find out for all of your chips. Other boards, sure. This one has 3 to a straight, 3 to a flush and a paired board. If you don't have huge hand, which you don't, then you don't want to play for a huge pot.