Archive Pick: Baby set on hellish river in position, no limit cash

What we said then … Should you turn your set into a bluff? This doesn’t seem like a terrible spot to do so. If your opponent had a strong made hand, they probably would have bet the river again, as there are so many second best hands you might feel compelled to call a value bet with. The check really feels like a weak hand - the problem is, several very weak hands are besting your set at this point.

It’s not hard for you to tell a reasonable story about the river helping your hand. Your flop bet could have been made with a wide range, and your call on the turn could easily be a draw.

I think the fact that most very strong hands would bet here but most hands that you’re beating and most medium-strength hands that are beating you would check here and likely fold to a bet warrants a stab at this pot.

What actually happened: You checked behind and the SB showed 98s.

check and hope

Bet over half-pot and represent a runner-runner nut flush.

You may get called by a hand with Qh in it but the majority of the time you’ll fold out smaller flushes.

Check. A bluff here is the kind of play where a strong bet might fold out a weak flush, but there are a lot of hearts villain could have that will check, hoping for a cheap showdown but call if you bet. If youre lucky his check means hes got no hearts and you take it down anyway. He wouldnt call your bet anyway if thats the case. Its not worth putting a ton of money on the line.

Dude has a flush or he’s a bonehead. He called like a draw on the flop and value bet the turn. With no flush, the turn value bet followed by the river check is atrocious, especially after we represented a made hand after the flop. So the real question is can we push him out of the pot by representing Ah. If he has Qh, he might call anything and I’m hosed at any bet. I think I can buy this pot from someone who has a more solid image, but with a “goofy” image, I have a hard time telling. So I simply check.

BTW, bad call on turn.

I would think that his weak check probably gives him the range of pair, two pair, baby flush….If you just check he wins with any heart. If he is holding the Ah and checking to trap, then I think it is the possibility that will have you screwed if you bet. His fold eq is too much in any other scenario (baby flush) if your bet is >half pot. BET!!!