This was one of my first hands at the table, so no history with anyone. Effective stacks are about $200, but I bought in for the max ($300).

Limped around (5 callers, plus the SB), I check in the BB with A2o.

Flop comes A74r. Checked around.

Turn is an 8, which brings two spades. I bet $10. Two callers, one being an older guy, and one being about a 35-40 year old guy, who was friendly/talkative.

River is an offsuit A.

Hero?

check

I bet/fold 25-30. Highly unlikely either opponent has an ace given action. Common to get looked up in limped pot after Axx flop checks around.

I should add, this is a hand from my second session of my (early start) 2017 challenge. Haven't played $1/2 in years, but I'm starting over.

Hard to say what is best with no reads on villains. Check/call, check/fold (unlikely), bet/call (unlikely) and bet/fold could all be best.

Knowing what position the callers are in makes a bit of a difference. From late position they are more likely to have limped pre with weak suited aces. From EP their aces are mostly raise or fold hands and mostly bet flop.

Against 2 unknown opponents and a moderately dangerous river this is pretty much a toss up between bet/fold and check/call.

How is this ever a check/call? Hero's hand is way under-repped and the default image for an unknown, middle-aged 1/2 player is a calling station.

IMO it's a toss up between bet/fold and check/raise. Given no reads on villain's aggression, probably safer to bet/fold.

I was speaking about what the options would be with better reads on villains. Check/call isn't a good option against unknowns at 1/2 where you are correct that villains likely lean towards passive and stations. Check/call is a good option if you know a likely bluffer is behind you. He is more likely likely to bluff then call with worse and you are going to hate the situation if you bet and he raises.

And how is hero's hand under repped here? Hero's check on flop and then bet on turn says hero has a low ace or hit two pair+ on the turn. There isn't much else that bets turn. Then on the river when another ace appears what worse hands are betting? Middle pairs and other weak hands that might have bet turn give up when the turn gets two calls and another ace appears. AX isn't folding to a single bet here and raising hands have hero crushed. Hero is actually at the bottom of range and betting is really hoping to get a call by a station.

IMO it's under-repped because any pair bets this turn for value. You said yourself in the above quote "middle pairs and other weak hands that might bet this turn...". So, in the mind of your standard 1/2 donk with T8s, he loves calling turn thinking he's in great shape, and the river A even further solidifies in his head "no way hero has an Ace", and snap calls river. I see it all the time, I'm sure you do too.

Exactly. You should be betting pairs for value OTT too when Axx checks through in a limped pot.

I agree with a lot of the commentary here (aside from the check-raise option). In hindsight, I definitely think bet/fold is the way to go against an unknown $1/2 older guy. Against someone who is aggressive, check/call is good.

I, of course, bet $20 and called a raise to $70 after cursing myself because I'm a station. Villain had 77.

I think it's worthwhile to explore the question of what reads/tells do you have to have to make c/r the river the best option?

You realize now I'm sure that there are no bluffs in V's river raising range.

C/r river is terrible. We have the worst possible A and everything that calls a c/r destroys us.

River is a bet/fold, probably 50% psb or less.

Always terrible, or vs. this villain? I don't have a strong POV just thought it was an interesting question.

Terrible vs unknowns, IMO. There are Villains that this is a great line against, but I'd need a solid read for that.

Might is the key word here. AX+ is the most likely hand for betting, weaker hands might venture a bet but 6 ways it's unlikely. When the turn gets called by two only the most stationary and fishy villains are thinking a weak hand continues. 3 ways to the river somebody probably has the ace and only the worst opponents are not going to realize that.

Often I see this river checked down at 1/2 unless somebody has a boat. The EP AX is likely to check/call the river hoping somebody bets because a bet on their part is strong and later hands are not likely to bluff this board. Exceptions abound though when the AX is fishy or targeting somebody.

C/R river is awful

Bet is clearly best option vs unkown.

But you can't pay off that raise.

In game and slow down. Name 1 hand that you beat, that is raising that river.

Not sure I have ever seen guy bluff river with raise in that situation.

Good luck in 2017

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