1/2 live, folds to hero in the cutoff with 150 behind. Hero has AdKd, and opens to 12. Dealer (villain) just sat down with 400 behind and calls. Sb and Bb fold

Flop comes Kc, 7h, 3d. Hero bets 15, villain calls.

Turn brings a 8c, hero bets 25, villain calls.

River brings 3c, hero bets 35, villain shoves, hero folds.

I think I was beat here, but my bet sizing on the river could have induced a bluff, was trying to get value out of KQ, KJ, K10 hands, how could I have played this hand better?

I think you played it fine. I would probably call the river though. It's only $63 more to call and pot will be $303 before rake (if there is any). Only need to be good 21% of the time here. I don't feel super strongly about us being good that often here, but people will occasionally bluff this more often than they should and I would want to see it when the raise is this small relative to the pot.

Thanks for posting.

* Bet smaller on this flop, which is dry as the Sahara. I’d bet $8, with basically all my hands.

* Bet much bigger on the Turn (closer to pot-size), with a mix of bluffs and value hands (a size big enough to set up a River shove, again, with a mix of bluff and value).

* So yes, with this hand and this runout, you should be looking to shove the River yourself.


As played: the River is a mandatory call, you’re getting a great price and you’re still beating a few hands of his that might be raising for value (KQ, KJ, perhaps), along with all his bluffs. (Your very small River sizing could well have induced a bluff.) There aren’t many bluffs in his range, but 87dd, and all the 65 suited hands make sense from him.

Another reason you should call is that that River really removes a lot of his value hands. 87 is no longer beating you and pocket 3s just got a lot less likely. Ac3c is impossible. So what’s left? 77, K7, K8? Just call it, and if you’re beat, rebuy.

thanks for the reply, that really helps. When you explain it like that I cannot believe I folded. I have lots of work to do I guess, it was my 2nd time ever playing live and 400 dollars (my buy in) is a lot of money to me, and I was afraid of losing it which definitely factored into my thinking.

I think River is a crying call for the price, but River raises are usually hecka strong, so I expect to be beat more often than not.

if $400 is a lot of money to you you shouldnt play 1/2.

don't bet/fold having put in ~60% of your stack.

if you sized up the turn (which added straight draws and a flush draw) then the river becomes a trivial shove.