Originally Posted by DimitriT

The way you fix this is to get reads on the player before the river.
People usually play drawing hands a certain way. For instance, let's
say you are dealt:

Jc Jd

and the flop brings:

Ts 6s 3h

You have two opponents and you are first to bet.

You bet a hearty 5xBB and get a call and a fold.

What does that tell you? Somone has a hand. The board looks like a
flush draw. Someone may be slowplaying 66, seeing that you have a strong pair.

Turn comes as 7c.

You check. He checks. Bingo! He's on the draw. A set or two pair would bet out here fearing that you might improve on the river card or that you may be on the flush draw yourself!

Now if another spade comes out you check and see what he comes back
with. Typically he will value bet you or go all-in to try and ellicit a bluff catch.

If the spade doesn't show what should you do? Alot of folks bet the river hoping the opp has paired along the way and may want to make a further donation. I will sometimes do this but I usually just get a fold unless he feels like a bluff. But a bluff here is very easy to catch so that doesn't worry me too much.

Originally Posted by DimitriT

Checking the turn (when you don't have position) is a way for you to
figure out if he's on the draw. Yes, its a free card. If you are already
sure that he's on the draw, you bet out to ruin his odds.

Originally Posted by ponyboy

However, if he is truly slowplaying he might check as well just to give the impression that he is on a draw to entice you to bet on the river, correct? Or is this stupid because it would give me a free card and potential to crack his hand?

Originally Posted by a500lbgorilla

I'll agree that checking is a sound play, but it does not mean that he is on a draw. He may check with a weaker pair, he may also bet with a weaker pair. Play the player.

Also, checking on the turn limits the pot size so you don't get an out of control pot into the river.

-'rilla