I run into this type of situation ever so often and the big check-raise in small pots is by far the most EV play. If you lead the river, they never raise with the 4 card straight. It just never happens in my experience. However, if you check-raise big, I'd say they call that raise 80% or more with the 4 to the straight. They just can't let it go.

This raise was a bigger than I would normally make against a good player, but this opponent was poor.


Blinds: $1/$2
5 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $282.90
CO: $197.00
Button: $277.90
Hero: $384.40
BB: $201.00

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is SB with
2 folds, Button calls, Hero calls, BB checks.

Flop: ($6, 3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, Button checks.

Turn: ($6, 3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, Button checks.

River: ($6, 3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, Button bets $8, Hero raises to $100, BB folds, Button calls.

Results:
Final pot: $206
Hero shows Ad Qc

Very interesting observation, which makes sense. I'll have to try it sometime...

what did villain have?

regardless, i'll be adding it to my arsenal.

maybe i'm a nit, but i'd drop a bare Q here most of the time. an all-in bet might get called 90% of the time, but if villain is a thinking player, you won't get called.

the pot is stupid small, and villain chopping at best unless kenny is a complete blufftard. if kenny does this often enough against players like me with a bare Q or less, he'd end up broke.

anyway, i'm starting to think that a push is fine up to the 100s and maybe against most players at the 200s, but after that, i have to think it's read dependent.