Getting Value

One thing I've been focusing on, regardless of the game, is getting extra value out of the last round of betting. I'm trying to squeak out as many little extra bets where I can, sometimes changing a losing session into a winning session because of it. The idea is simple. If I feel there's a good chance I have the best hand, NOT the nuts though, I make sure to bet my hand. Or raise a bettor.

It so simple that it seems stupid to focus on it. But in reality, it's not stupid or simple. MANY, many players will check/call or check/fold the best hand on the river, especially when OOP. A scare card hits the river and OF COURSE! It had to have hit the opponent who was calling. You check the river, villian bets/bluffs, you fold.

OOP river bets should not be feared. If nervous, fire a typical value/please call me type bet on the river. Only three things can happen. 1. Villian folds. 2. Villian calls(not a bad thing will value betting, EVER) 3. Villian raises. One and two are obviously desired results, but three you don't like. It's really not so bad though. His raise tells you you're beat and you don't have to put anything more in(not always the case in Limit). With this bet, you've controlled how much you will win, or lose.

When you check the river here, only two things can happen. 1. Villian checks 2. Villian bets. When the villian checks, you just lost value. When the villian bets, you are now forced to act with less information. Villian value bets/bluffs the pot here, how comfortable are you with calling?

Another opportunity is like the one below. After everyone has had an opportunity to act on the river and you feel there is a strong chance that you have the best hand, but far from the nuts, at many tables it's possible to slip a small value raise in. It requires some familiarity of the players to be successful.

FullTiltPoker Game #4097215927: Table Landis (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha H/L - 11:15:30 ET - 2007/11/07
Seat 1: bigsmith ($6.70)
Seat 2: ManiacaLucidity ($33.75)
Seat 3: JokerJudy ($9.80)
Seat 4: foldsch ($11.90)
Seat 5: Zophar ($17.35)
Seat 6: chinch4 ($24.70)
Zophar posts the small blind of $0.10
chinch4 posts the big blind of $0.25
5 seconds left to act
JokerJudy posts a dead small blind of $0.10
JokerJudy posts $0.25
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Zophar [Kh Qc Kd 4d]
bigsmith folds
ManiacaLucidity calls $0.25
JokerJudy checks
foldsch folds
Zophar calls $0.15
chinch4 checks
*** FLOP *** [2d 4h Qs]
Zophar checks
chinch4 bets $0.25
ManiacaLucidity calls $0.25
JokerJudy calls $0.25

Rainbow flop. I have top 2, an over pair and back door flush draw. No one seems overly fond of the hand yet, so I'll see if I can fill up or catch a set.



Zophar calls $0.25
*** TURN *** [2d 4h Qs] [8d]
Zophar checks
chinch4 bets $0.25
ManiacaLucidity calls $0.25
JokerJudy calls $0.25

Still looking at 2 pair now, but have added 2nd nut flush draw. The weakness being shown by everyone here says that no one really has much of a hand. I feel I likely have the best high hand at the moment, but still a super draw heavy board. I'm OOP, 4 handed. Not pushing anything right now.


Zophar calls $0.25
*** RIVER *** [2d 4h Qs 8d] [8c]
Zophar checks
chinch4 bets $0.75
ManiacaLucidity calls $0.75
JokerJudy calls $0.75

The .75 bet seems just as weak as the previous .25's. I'm thinking either AQLX or A5XX for chinch4. The rest probably have something similar here. There is a chance chinch4 hit the 8(weakly) or had AA, or that one of the callers had AA, but I don't think so. Chinch4 hitting the 8 is the biggest fear. Reason AA is less likely is because it is almost always raised preflop, any permutation of it even. I've got K's up and have had the opportunity to see everyone act on the river. Fold, call or raise?


Zophar raises to $1.50
chinch4 calls $0.75
ManiacaLucidity calls $0.75
JokerJudy calls $0.75
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Zophar shows [Kh Qc Kd 4d] two pair, Kings and Eights, for high
chinch4 shows [3h Qh Kc Ad] two pair, Queens and Eights, for high and 8,4,3,2,A, for low
ManiacaLucidity mucks
JokerJudy mucks
Zophar wins the high pot ($4.35) with two pair, Kings and Eights
chinch4 wins the low pot ($4.30) with 8,4,3,2,A
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $9.10 | Rake $0.45
Board: [2d 4h Qs 8d 8c]
Seat 1: bigsmith didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: ManiacaLucidity mucked [7d 5h 7c Ac] - HI: two pair, Eights and Sevens; LO: 8,5,4,2,A
Seat 3: JokerJudy mucked [6d Qd 6h 9c] - HI: two pair, Queens and Eights
Seat 4: foldsch (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Zophar (small blind) showed [Kh Qc Kd 4d] and won ($4.35) with HI: two pair, Kings and Eights
Seat 6: chinch4 (big blind) showed [3h Qh Kc Ad] and won ($4.30) with HI: two pair, Queens and Eights; LO: 8,4,3,2,A