2nd pair on Ace high flop vs. PF raiser HU

[exist]

this situation comes up relatively frequently and i'm just not sure how to play it. my opponent has a 31% VP$IP and a 18% PFR. this hand happened a week or two ago so i don't remember anyting else about my opponent. comments on all streets appreciated.


Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif.
UTG folds, <font color="CC3333">MP raises</font>, Button folds, Hero calls, BB folds.

Flop: (5 SB) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP calls.

River: (5.50 BB) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP calls.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

[samdash]

Especially with the $2 small blind at 5/10, I don't think this is a good call to be making preflop. Flops like this are exactly what I'm talking about. Don't worry too much about being dominated but you'll flop 2nd pair a fair deal. Betting out on this flop serves very little purpose and will probably cause you to win less when you're ahead and lose more when you're behind. What do you do when raised on this flop? What about when they only call and you don't improve on the turn?

[exist]

i've folded SB to steal 91.68% of the time. this is embarassing and i'm trying to loosen up. i don't think QJs should be folded against a guy who raises PF 18% of the time and is probably raising more since he is in the CO. i called in part hoping the BB would come along so that play post flop would be a bit more straighforward.

you did not like betting out on the flop, but what is a better alternative? check call the flop? check call the turn? bet out on the turn after calling the flop (assuming i don't improve)? i see drawbacks to all plans of action. please point out what you consider to be the best way to play the hand and tell why.

[schubes]

I'm not sure what the problem is, postflop looks fine, although check-calling the river may be a posibility. What did MP have to make you question this line?

The ace on the flop is uncomfortable but that doesn't mean that he has an ace. If you really want to avoid this situation you should fold QJ in the SB, but as you said that's giving up value (if you play it well). FWIW, I think this hand does play better with a 3-bet - you don't need BB to protect you.

[Dov]

C/R this flop and take control of the hand.

If he 3 bets, call and check fold the turn unimproved unless you have a better read. If he just calls, then bet the turn no matter what comes. If raised, 3 bet if you improved and consider folding if not. A lot of these decisions are read dependent, but I prefer a more aggressive line myself.

Have you seen him show down hands yet? If not, this may not be a bad spot to invest. If yes, consider what has gone before. If he seems to know what he's doing, ask yourself if it seems likely that he has an A or is capable of folding a big pair if you have (or represent) an A.

If you were going to bet the river here, I think you should have just check-called it. Let him bluff if he doesn't have a heart. If he doesn't have a heart I think your hand is good. I think you will be called on the end when you are beaten more often than not.

Hope this made sense. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Dov

[MisterKing]

I think this flop looks primed for a c/r. The PF raiser is likely to hold either two paint cards or some kind of pair. Even a marginal hand like T9 is looking bet-worthy on his part. Point is, he's probably hit something here, and as long as its not an ace, you're not only ahead, but likely to have him set you up for the c/r.

Either way, leading out on the turn seems straightforward. The only cards I'm really worried about here are the Kh &amp; Th, given his flop action. Is he realistically flat calling with AJ, AQ, AxKh, or AxTh? Doubt it.

River: I honestly don't know myself. Betting out is fine in some circumstances, but what do you do if raised w/no reads? I think check/call probably has more value -- you'll always get to see his cards, if nothing else. There's value in that for sure, and at a low cost.

[exist]

i started questioning the line the second the flop hit and i just wasn't sure what to do. it wasn't the results that made me wonder if there was a better way to play.

and to address other posts about the river, i just asked myself "What Would Clarkmiester Do?"

[exist]

MP had As 3c. hero wins.