River Play - Basic Concepts
Introduction
This article explains:
- How to play hands of different strength on the river
- Bluffing vs Value betting or checking
The river in Pot Limit Omaha is very different from the other streets. First of all, you know all the board cards, and the only question is how much you want to pay with which hand to go to the showdown, or if you are bluffing, how much to invest to not see the showdown.
Generally, there are five questions that you should ask yourself at the river:
- 1. How do I get to showdown as cheaply as possible with my marginal hand?
- 2. What to do with my semi-strong hand?
- 3. What to do if a scare card comes?
- 4. How do I extract maximum value with my strong hand?
- 5. When can I bluff on the river?
Aside from this, you should also determine the playing style of your opponent:
- 1. How tight or loose is my opponent?
- 2. Can a bluff be played profitably against him?
- 3. What specific reads (betting patterns,...) do I have on my opponent?
- 4. Does my opponent play straight forward or tricky?
- 5. What does my opponent think of me?
These informations should give you a relatively clear indication how to play on the river. The following scenarios will give you an overview of possible board configurations and what lines to take against which opponents.
Semi-strong hand
Out of Position:
Preflop: You raise from CO and are called by BU and BB:
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BB checks, you bet 2/3 pot-size, BU calls and BB folds.
Turn:
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You bet pot-size and are called again by BU
River:
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Hero?
Reads on BU: plays straight forward, will bluff when checked to
The river is practically a blank. You are out of position, and have to decide what play is best against this opponent. Since he plays straight forward and only bluffs when he senses weakness, the best play here would be to check the river to induce a bluff, and call.
In case you bet yourself on this river (regardless of the size of the bet), you will only get action from stronger hands.
In position:
The action on all streets is the same, except you were in position. There are two possible scenarios on the river:
River:
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Villain checks, hero?
In this situation, and because of our read, checking behind is the best solution, since villain will in all likelihood not call with any hand weaker than top two pair, because of the strength we showed on all previous streets.
Now, let's consider our possibilities if villain bets the river:
River:
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Villain bets pot-size, hero?
This bet looks very dangerous. You showed strength pre-flop, on the flop and on the turn, yet your opponent still bets pot-size out of position on the river, which represents a very strong hand. This is an easy fold.
Out of position
Preflop: You raise from MP3, CO and SB call.
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SB checks, you bet pot-size, CO calls, SB folds.
Turn:
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You bet pot-size, CO calls.
River:
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Hero?
Reads: Villain is a shark, and plays very tricky.
Here, you completed your backdoor flush, which is a very unlikely occurance. Hence your opponent will rarely believe you to have the flush, and will easily bluff when checked to. However, he might think that his (likely) straight is still good against a flopped made hand, and will be inclined to calling a bet. Thus a pot-size donk-bet is best here.
In position (all streets are played as above, except for positional differences)
River:
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Villain checks.
This is a good spot to bet pot-size, since you will be called by many weaker hands.
River:
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Villain bets pot-size.
It is relatively unlikely that he has also hit a backdoor flush, so a fold is out of the question. We must decide which of a call or raise is best.
The money should probably go in here. You can seriously think about putting your opponent all-in here, since he is somewhat committed and will not always believe you to have a strong hand.
2. Marginal Hands
Out of position
Preflop: You raise from MP3 and are only called by BU.
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You bet pot-size, BU calls
Turn: :
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You bet 2/3 pot-size and BU calls
River:
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Reads: Unknown opponent
Even though the flush didn't come on the river, your hand is anything but good, especially with all the overcards to your two pair. You have no idea where you stand and your opponent could easily have hit a backdoor straight, set, or higher two pair. On top of that, you have no reads on your opponent. This is an easy check/fold.
In position (all streets are played as above, except for positional differences)
In position, you have a much higher chance of seing a cheap showdown. If your opponent checks, you should always check behind. If he bets, you have an easy fold.
3. Bluffs
Bluffs in Pot Limit Omaha should only be made heads-up, at least in the case of river bet. In most cases, you will only make a river bluff when you missed a strong draw, and believe your opponent to have also missed his draw.
Out of position:
Preflop: You raised from MP2 and are called by BU and BB.
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BB checks, you bet 2/3 pot-size, BU calls and BB folds.
Turn:
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You bet pot-size and villain calls again.
River:
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Hero?
This river is ideal to push your opponent off the pot. You bet the flop and turn, representing a made hand. Villain called down all the way, which often means he has a draw. Hence a bluff here will very often take down the pot.
In position (all streets are played as above, except for positional differences)
If your opponent checks again, you should bet. In case he bets, you have a clear fold.
In Position
Preflop: You raise from BU, BB calls.
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BB bets pot-size and you call.
Turn:
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BB bets pot-size again and you call.
River:
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Villain checks to you
Reads: Villain plays straight forward
This hand is slightly different from the last. You don't have the initiative anymore, but you have position. Your opponent bets twice, representing strength, but checks on the river scare card. This is a good spot to take the initiative. You know that villain is not tricky, but usually plays straight forward. This should be enough to risk a bluff here, close to pot-size.
If you were out of position and villain had the initiative, then you could still bet the river given the read you have on him.
Strong hands
Strong hands on the river are relatively easy to play. It is somewhat easier to play out of position. In position, you must decide on a bet size. This is very opponent-dependant and can be anywhere from half to full pot.
Out of position, you should vary between checking and betting, since you should play check/raise in case you have shown strength previously and the river brings an apparent scare card for you (this is of course only applicable if you have bet the flop and turn with a draw which you hit on the river)
Furthermore, a check/raise is best when you think that your opponent will often bluff, e.g. if he was on a draw. However, in case you played passively on the flop and turn with a draw which you hit on the river, then you must of course bet (from half to full pot size, depending on your opponent), since your opponent will in most cases check behind.
Scare card on the river
The standard situation is when you have bet a made hand on the flop and turn, and a scare card that could complete one or more potential draws comes on the river.
In case one draw completes (e.g. a straight) and your opponent could have another draw (e.g flush), it is hard to know whether he hit or is bluffing when he bets.
Here is a typical example:
Pre-flop: You limp from MP1, BU and SB call, BB checks.
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Turn:
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River:
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Villain is unknown
Let's disregard position and assume you bet pot-size on the flop and turn, and the river brings a scare card. Your opponent could have either a flush or straight draw, or even both.
Out of position, there is nothing much to do except to check and hope that your opponent checks behind. If he bets (regardless of position), you have a tough decision.
If you know that villain is aggressive and is likely to bet a busted flush draw to represent the made straight, and will bet the same size with both hands, then you can play check/call, since you only have to be ahead a maximum of 33% of the time.
Conclusion
Your play on the river depends largely on position and reads you have on your opponent. Pay attention to the players at your table and be sure to understand all the concepts of this article as well as the other ones, and you will be on a good way towards becoming a successful Pot Limit Omaha player.
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