I have several leaks in my NL cash game online. This hand demonstrates one of them:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $0.10 BB (5 handed)
SB ($28.15)
BB ($3.80)
Hero ($10)
MP ($10.05)
Button ($15.25)
Preflop: Hero is UTG with 
, 
.
Hero raises to $0.4, 1 fold, Button calls $0.40, SB calls $0.35, 1 fold.
Flop: ($1.30) 
, 
, 
(3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.
Turn: ($1.30) 
(3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.8, Button calls $0.80, SB folds.
River: ($2.90) 
(2 players)
Hero bets $1.5, Button raises to $14.05, Hero calls $7.30 (All-In).
Final Pot: $20.50
Results in white below:
Hero has As Ah (three of a kind, aces).
Button has Kd Td (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Button wins $25.75.
Yes I know, checking the flop with 2 diamonds on the board was stupid. But the call on the end was even more stupid.
I have decided that it is a good idea to post these ugly hands for more own benefit. I am not showing this as a bad beat, because it isn’t one. It is a fish-like call on the end. When an opponent makes a massive all-in bet like that on the river ……….FOLD. I need to drum that into my head. I threw away 3/4 of a buy-in.
The way I have to think about it is in terms of EV. Over say 1000 hands played out exactly like this, the villain is going to have the flush more times than not. Therefore fold!!! It is irrelevant whether this particular player has it or not. It is a negative EV situation.
You live and learn…sometimes.
As you say, checking the fop is crazy. Don’t beat yourself up over what happened on the river because if you had bet out the flop, the outcome could have been different.
But if you did bet the fop how much would it have taken the button to fold his nut flush draw? Even if you pushed all in and I was button, I would be very tempted indeed to call.
Every time something like this happens to me, I take the hit and learn from it. No one improves their game unless they make a mistake from time to time.
Playing at these levels you kind of know where you stand 99% of the time.
I thing I realized while playing at these low levels that translates into money at higher levels is the ability to fold monster hands when you know or when you think you’re beat.
I know it’s harder to say than do but if you want to improve your game you have to know when to lay down a monster when you think you’re beat.
Also, if you have pokertracker you’ll see that you often lose more big pots when you have AA or KK than any other hand.
You just try folding AA or KK once or twice during a session and see how it feels. Remember AA is only as strong as compared to the villain’s hand, so it’s relative.
Keep up the good work.