3/6 A6s I'm not comfortable with

[Cerril]

An average table table with a couple good players, but overall quite passive postflop. I'm starting to think this isn't the table for me.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, MP1 calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, MP3 calls, CO calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (7 SB) 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(7 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero checks, MP1 folds, MP3 checks, CO checks.

With this many in the hand I'm thinking I'm behind, and my position isn't great. I'll gauge my actions based on who bets and action to me. I'm not too attached to my hand here.

Turn: (3.50 BB) J/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls, CO folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

This feels like a blank and I'm pretty sure I'm ahead. One BB can protect my hand against most draws, so either I surrender entirely or bet out here.

River: (6.50 BB) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls, UTG+1 folds.

MP3 is very passive postflop, he'll almost certainly check if I check without a better hand than I've got. But he'll probably call down with any pair if I bet.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 8.50 BB, between Hero and MP3.</font>

The whole hand sits somewhat uncomfortably with me, which is odd for such a small pot.

[Michael Davis]

"With this many in the hand I'm thinking I'm behind, and my position isn't great."

This is a nasty flop to give a free card. Even if you are behind, how will you know if you don't bet? A bunch of people have already checked and the rest limped in from late position. Most players with good aces will raise.

You are far from concern about not having the best hand. In fact, you will have the best hand most of the time here and must bet the flop.

-Michael

[Grease]

You have to bet this flop. A free card here is disasterous. Clubs and possibly gutshots are going to the river with you. Make them pay to draw.

[Cerril]

Hm, maybe I was seeing ghosts here. I was putting the likelihood I was up against a better ace as pretty high with this many in at a table that would best be defined as sLP-P. Incidentally, I would generally checkraise a bet from the button if it were folded to me.

Interestingly, you say that you feel this is a dangerous flop. Twotoned is certainly worrisome but I'm not worried about the third so much as the fourth club, so seeing the turn doesn't hurt me there. If I knew it would be checked around I would defintely bet out but while this is an overall passive table there are enough left to act behind me that I don't feel all that confident about my chances. That may not be correct, of course.

[Cerril]

Yeah, after reexamining this hand at both of your suggestions I'm seeing that this is a situation I'd usually be betting and probably raising 100% of the time. I think the number of people to the flop just spooked me. One question though that made me originally think this was right (and remember, I thought it far more likely than not that it was going to be bet behind me) -

Letting the turn come cheap would allow me to punish gutshots low pairs and, to a far lesser extent, flush draws more than if I bet out. If I had a lot of callers on the flop I wouldn't be able to effectively protect my hand on the turn, where this way I was. Letting any street where I have a good shot at the best hand is, of course, pretty criminal. This is, in your opinions, one of those situations where the ball was firmly in my court? What if I'd been in earlier position?

[beachbum]

How about fold preflop? I don't play this hand in this position but maybe I'm too tight. I'd play it if I was +90% sure that at least 4 more would see a flop with me without a raise though.

[Vern]

I think you made a mistake by no betting this flop. Your hand may be best, you have TP with kicker that is better than either extra board card albiet still weak kicker. You should bet like you have the best hand until someone makes you think otherwise, don't do that to yourself. I like the play of the rest of the hand. Could you fold to a raise/checkraise on the river?

VL

[Cerril]

I could fold to a second bet given these opponents. MP is passive enough that he wouldn't raise without the nuts and the other is passive enough not to checkraise without at least 2 pair - or, my reads give me enough surety of that.

Alright, so bet the flop next time. I wimped out here and I think that's why I felt so ugly about this hand.

[Tosh]

Yeah bet the flop.

[Cerril]

I was wondering about this. I was sure enough that there wouldn't be a raise but not at all sure about the number to the flop. I'm fairly sure there's plenty of EV in this hand but I'd need to be able to play it more confidently postflop to get it (a measure of my skill, rather than reads)

[Cerril]

I'm going to assume that my primary error here was not betting the flop with a gentle reminder that I shouldn't play hands like this if that isn't more automatic.

MP was holding 44, which I'm fairly sure he would have called on the flop and the river. I was a little baffled , but I'm thinking this line might have actually protected my hand better against his six-outer than if I'd bet both streets. Obviously though giving infinite odds to the turn was a mistake.

[helpmeout]

Fold this preflop, A6s UTG+2 at $3/$6 nah too risky.

Good Aces raise preflop, this is a decent sized pot you gotta bet it.