Hand Of The Day #62

$1/$3 NLHE - Atlantis Casino - 12.3.10

As usual, there was a bunch of limpers at this passive table. I'm on the Button with As Jh. If I do my standard raise to $11, then I will probably get five or six callers. So I decide to just limp in, and see a Flop with seven or eight players.

Flop Kc Kh Td. Everyone checks around to me. I know that at least one of the eight players has a King, and there's a good chance that both of the remaining Kings are out there. So there's no point stabbing at this pot with just a Broadway draw. Check.

Turn [Kc Kh Td] Qc. The SB leads out for $10. Two players call (UTG+1 and Mid). I decide to make a small raise to $25 with my Straight. But if anyone raises, I will probably fold. I can beat a King, but I can't beat KT, KQ or TT. However, all three players just called.

River [Kc Kh Td Qc] 3s. SB checks. UTG+1 bets $50. Mid folds. I just call, assuming that I'm gonna see a Full House. SB thinks for a bit, and reluctantly calls. UTG+1 shows J9c for a K-high Straight. SB shows Ks 5h. I show my AJ, and scoop a nice pot.

After the hand, there was the usual table talk about the hand. And an interesting question popped up. What would I have done if it checked to me on the River?

At the time, I really wasn't sure what to do with four players still in on the River. After pondering for a bit, I think the proper move would have been to make a small Value Bet (around $40 I guess), and then fold to anything larger than a min-raise.

I know that in my last Hand Of The Day, I said that you should check in a "Way Ahead or Way Behind" situation. But this is a slightly different situation. I certainly could be crushed by KQ, KT, K3, or TT. But I'm ahead of many more hands, like any other King, J9, QJ, JT, AQ, or a Flush Draw. This is a perfect spot to do a Bet/Fold, which is making a Value Bet, and then folding when someone check-raises me. Nobody that doesn't have a Full House will check-raise on that Board with four players still in the hand on the River.