Many of us are guilty of switching off by the time we get to the river but as Alex Scott demonstrates in next month's issue of InsidePoker, fifth street is the time when you need all your wits about you. Scott uses three different river dilemmas to help your end game.

The first sees the protagonist trying to extract the maximum amount; the second is an exercise in damage limitation and the final scenario is a multi-pronged problem which will really have you scratching your head.

Scenario 1

Preflop, you picked up As-6s on the button, and called the cutoff's raise to $25. The flop came Kh-9d-3s. The cutoff checked and you checked. The turn came the 4s, and the cutoff bet $30.

You called and the river came the 2s, giving you the nuts (a straight flush is not possible because of the cards you hold in your hand). You notice the cutoff sits up a little straighter in his chair, double-checks his cards, then sighs a little as he bets $50. What should you do?

a) Fold
b) Call
c) Raise to $100
d) Raise to $250
e) Raise all-in for $945

Scenario 2

It¹s a blind versus blind situation. Your opponent in the small blind limped in, and you checked. It was checked down to the river, where the final board is 10c-Jh-Kh-Qh-10h. You have 10s-8s, and just made trips. The pot is $10, and your opponent checks. What should you do?

a) Check
b) Bet $5
c) Bet $10
d) Bet $20

Scenario 3

The button and small blind both limped before the flop, and you checked in the big blind. The flop came 6s-4d-2s. The small blind checked, you bet $10, and only the button called. The turn was the 9c. You bet $25 and the button called. The river was the Jh, making the final board 6s-4d-2s-9c-Jh.

Option 1
What should you do if you have Ks-Qs?

a) Check
b) Bet $40
c) Bet $80

Option 2
What should you do if you have As-4s?

a) Check
b) Bet $40
c) Bet $80

To find out the answers to these situations check out the next issue of InsidePoker # 50 the April issue, on sale 20 March 2008.