I had a long discussion with a friend of mine today about whether or not to always valuebet with specific hands on the river, against specific boards. I’m not even going to get in to the most vital hands we disagreed upon, but we did agree on certain factors you have to look in to before considering a valuebet on the river…
For the record, we’re talking No Limit Hold’em. 
- Whether or not the player you’re up against is winner or loser, and how he reacts in these situations.
- The stack-sizes. Don’t risk your whole stack by valuebetting a mediocre hand against a dangerous board. If you’ve got $300 invested and you both have $2500 –you don’t want to have to face an all-in decision on a weak hand.
- The board. What dangers are out there? If a 3-card flush or straight is out there, be cautious. If you read your opponent as strong, check it down.
- Your table image. Don’t valuebet a mediocre hand if you know you’re only getting called when you’re surely beat. Being aware of your own table image is vital in poker, so keep your eyes on yourself as much as your opponents.
- Bankroll management. Fold to a big re-raise if you’re not strong enough. Your money is worth a good laydown every once in a while.
More factors to come, but feel free to join in and give opinions here…