Connecting rod, piston, crank drive, and reciprocating internal combustion engine

A connecting rod (301), in particular for a power engine, having a head region (303), a middle region (305) and a foot region (307), the head region (303) having a pivoting first connection with a connecting rod receptacle (210) of a piston (201), the pivoting first connection corresponding to the head region (303) engaging an undercut (211) of the connecting rod receptacle (210) of the piston (201) and the foot region (307) has a second connection for receiving a crankshaft and the head region (303) is connected to the foot region (307) via the middle region (305), characterized in that the connecting rod (301) has a lubricant guide (343, 345, 347), so that a lubricant introduced into the lubricant guide (343, 345, 347) at the second connection in the region of the crankshaft is guided through the lubricant guide (343, 345, 347) to the first connection and the lubricant is available for lubricating and/or cooling the first connection, said head region (303) including a valve (341) in communication with said lubricant guide (343, 345, 347), said valve (341) characterized so that in the region of a top dead center or a bottom dead center said valve (341) limits lubricant flow, but away from said top dead center or said bottom dead center said valve permits increased lubricant flow.