Betting the River

[EasyT]

I think betting the river is one big leak in my game now: because I don't bet it when I should. This is probably a common new-guy problem which might benefit other readers too.

For example: I catch TPTK and bet the pot. If I get a caller, I have to try to put him on some cards. Chasing a str? flush? hit middle pair? or smooth calling a set? etc. So I'll slow up a little and bet half of the new pot. If he calls here without raising, I'm a little worried (if he raises here, I'm usually folding--I don't like heading to a showdown with only a pair). By the river there's usually an overcard, or 3 to a straight/flush and I end up checking. If he bets back at me, I have some decision making to do. But too often he just checks too, and shows a lower pair or lower kicker. When he mucks a missed flush, I don't worry about this, because he wouldn't have called any bet anyway. But if he took TPGK this far, he would have called another reasonable bet, I did not get maximum value for my hand.

So where is the EV+ on this scenario?
If I bet and he folds a missed flush, I win nothing more for my risk.
If I bet and he calls and I win, I get the extra bet.
If I bet and he calls and I lose to two pair, I lose the extra bet.
If I bet and he raises, I might fold, losing my bet.
If I bet and he raised, I might win/lose extra.

I play Empire $25NL if this makes a difference.
I'm still a little new at this and don't trust my reads all the time.

Also, how does the situation change if I'm last to act and so he checked first?

[storm75m]

Very good questions, and IMO, one of the toughest aspects of the game. This is where you have to rely mainly on your insticts and the reads that you may have on that player. It's entirely situational, and position makes a HUGE difference. If he's checking/calling your raises and you have position, I keep firing away, even at the river. If he's betting into you and you have position, it's a whole other story. With TPTK, I usually keep betting until I'm reraised, and the size of my bet depends on the texture of the board. However lately I've been throwing in a check sometimes either on the turn or the river, just to see what my opponent will do. But like I said, I think this is one aspect of the game where your instinct comes into play the most. I would like to hear what others think about this as well.

[jmontis]

it's tough to get maximum possible value for every hand, but at the same time, you want to save yourself any bets incase he has you beat.

Some very good advice from Mike Caro is, don't bet marginal hands on the river.... it can save you a lot of $$

[Grand_MasterB]

read TOP...they have a whole chapter devoted to this subject.

[Rondavu]

If your in late position, then you bet if the player your up against isn't the trapping slow player type. Some people bet out on made hands every time. These same people check and then call a bet if their hand is marginal. You can make good money knowing who your up against and how they would react to the board.

The lesson is don't bet out after a slow player checks to you on a made board. Check and then call down if first act to a made board on the river, if you think you might have the hand.

It depends on the situation. It's like President Bush said "Check raise me once, shame on you. Check raise me twice.... then don't get check raised again."