AQ - be hard or not to be

[Wolfy]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (4 handed)

SB (t2885)
BB (t5445)
Hero (t3325)
Button (t1845)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t400</font>, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls t200.

Q: preflop raise wasnt to small?

Flop: (t675) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t1000</font>, <font color="CC3333">BB raises to t5020</font>, Hero calls t1900 (All-In).

Q: i should bluff like this?
Q: after reraise i should fold or 'be hard' was good?

[The Yugoslavian]

You probably need to raise bigger preflop. 3xBB at least with such a premium hand. Depending on your opponent and what you've observed, he could easily have a 6,8,or any small pocket pair and be limping for just 1/27 of his total stack. If he is a big caller, you may need to bet more up front as a value bet. I'm also not sure if you should be calling his allin -- sure you have pot odds if he doesn't have much, but you still have enough of a stack to be a player at the table.

You have only invested 400 into the flop -- and the flop really sucks for you. If you think 1000 will make him fold, definitely don't call his allin when he reraises, you're beat.

I would have (if it's worth anything) bet bigger preflop (at least 3xBB, but given that the big stack is in the BB, maybe more), and post flop play is player dependent. I'm only calling his allin with my last 2k chips if I'm almost positive he's a completely loose cannon.

[SmileyEH]

Raise more preflop and only bet 2/3 pot so you can get away from your hand.

-SmileyEH

[willperkins]

I would have raised t600 preflop and after missing the flop (other than two overcards), I would have have checked and folded to any bet. I still plenty of chips in relation to the blinds. I would live to fight another day.

[codewarrior]

You said "be hard...." /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[binions]

The raise could have been more preflop, but 400 was fine too. In fact, calling to trap is OK against some foes some of the time.

The problem is you trapped yourself on the flop. Heads up with position, if you have an 8 you are going to check, not overbet the pot.

A good player knows this, and will come over the top representing the 8, especially if he has a pocket pair to fall back on.