bottom two in a raised pot

sorry for no HH, not at home computer

effective stacks are $200, UTG is bad, no read on button except for he hasn't played too many hands and in the two orbits ive been there. i havent seen him raise yet, so hes kinda passive.

UTG limps for $2, i make it $9 on the CO with 97s (suit unimportant). Button calls, blinds fold, UTG calls.

Flop comes A97 rainbow, pot is $30.

UTG checks, I bet 26, button calls, UTG folds.
I am pretty sure I'm ahead here. I dont think he would have T8, and him having 99 or 77 is very unlikely because of my holdings.

Turn is a 6, board is A976 (complete rainbow) and the pot is $82.

I bet $65, he calls.
I'm now behind A6 but I think he would have raised me if he had this. I am pretty sure I'm still ahead of his range.

River is an 8, board is A9768, pot is now $212.
gar! I'm behind AT-A5 now. The hands I beat are AK AQ AJ and baby aces. I think I would have heard from him earlier if he had AK or AQ or had two pair, so I think his range is something like AJ AT A2-A5.

We both have about $100 behind. What do i do? Check fold? Try to block the river? Like I said, he hasn't been too aggressive so I don't think he would bluff me out with a bad made hand, but I'm not sure.

AA? Puts you on AX/PP for raising PF?

I check the river here... maybe he will check behind with trips/two pair. I don't think he can fold anything that beats you to an A/I at this point, since it's only 1/2 pot. (I mean... he could if he was a moron... but I would rather have evidence of that)

Tough one, the button can probably guess you haven't got the straight, especially if you check the river and you may be open to a bluff. A $20 blocking bet may stop this and confuse some hands that are beating you just to call. If he pushes back then I think you can feel safer about laying it down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by finky

Tough one, the button can probably guess you haven't got the straight, especially if you check the river and you may be open to a bluff. A $20 blocking bet may stop this and confuse some hands that are beating you just to call. If he pushes back then I think you can feel safer about laying it down.

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I like this.

Only hands here' you're really beating that would call you down this far are AK/AQ/AJ.

AT, A9, A6, 99, 77, and any T smokes you here...Throw the blocking bet out there and he will let you know if you are beat or not.

The button would only have called with AJ-AA or 77-TT. His smooth calling implies he's ahead; he is unlikely to have a set, certainly, but it's not impossible by any means. I think you need to bet here because he WILL raise if you don't. This doesn't necessarily mean I think you'll win, but on the plus side I think AK is his single most likely holding.

hmmm
i think you check and call any bet he makes, including a push. Risky, but you're hand is well disguised here.
Any hand that beats you (set AT) would have made a play by now you would expect, or will check behind anyway. Only really a set of any type that beats you, i cant see AT calling down all that way unless he really sucks and got lucky. T9/T8 are the only other hands i might put opp on here.
T9 looks more possible, but i could be a mile away