Drowning at the River with Kings

  You have a pair of Kings before the flop and are thinking about how to get full value for your cards. Let's admit the obvious: these cards are what many players want to see in their hands when it comes to hole cards. The only thing that is better is a pair of Aces, and the chances that somebody is holding those are almost nil. Chances are before the flop you have the best hand at the table. The temptation here will be to slowplay and draw people into the hand so that these rare, premium cards get the payoff they deserve. A lot of players have found out just how big a mistake this is.  The flop produces a board that features a K/7/4. You now have a three of a kind. This is the time to put your foot on that gas and force everyone out of the hand. Even though neither the 7 or the 4 can join with matching cards to make a three of a kind to challenge your trio of kings, they are a danger of becoming a straight. Unless you force the drawing hands out now, you might be heading for a disaster.  Let's say the turn shows a Q. This is a safe card and gives you yet another opportunity to show some aggression. Being passive at this point in order to get a few extra bets into the pot may cost you.  The river is a 6 and you have just lost. Your opponent was holding an 8 and a 5. You have been beaten with a 4/5/6/7/8 straight. Had you driven out the drawing hand early, you would have won the hand. Right now all you have is three wasted Kings.  Unless you have the nuts, letting a player hang around until the river is a way of asking for problems. Anything can happen at that last card, and this may not be a risk that you want to take.  Good Luck!