Live Hand, 100NL: AA on the BB

[JonnyKK]

Please tell me I'm not going crazy. Please tell me this is how your supposed to play this everytime. I need some advice.

Playing live 100NL, I'm BB with AA, a bunch of folks limp to me 3$, I raise PF to 20$ (mostly I wanted to get some value out of my aces and I figured at least 1 person would call me, I havent got much action all night, let alone a good hand like this). Folded around to the SB who decided to call my 20$ PF raise.

Flop comes 5s,6c,8s

Villian bets out 20$ on the flop. He had sat down about 6-7 hands earlier so I really didnt get a good read. Right here, I'm thinking he's taking a shot at the pot, hoping I missed the flop with something like A,K or A,Q. I did, for a split second think he may have been playing pocket pairs, and hit his set. I just dont see how I could get away from my aces.

I push here all in (~120ish) he calls immediatly, he flips over 7c,9c for the made strait on the flop). I know this kind of thing will happen from time to time. And from previous experience, this sort of play has been netting me some nice pots, just not this time. I guess in the long run, I dont really mind having my Aces cracked by someone who would call a PF raise with that kind of hand, this is what we want right?

Is there anything I could have done differently? Push PF?? I get no action. I would greatly appreciate some advice on this situation, even if it's just "Hey it happens, play it again the same way everytime".

Thank you very much folks.

[TheWorstPlayer]

For some weird reason, I couldn't reply to this post until I hit "Quote". Weird. Not sure if anyone else is having/ever had this problem. Anyways, you played this fine. However. Against a non-tricky opponent, I think that you can flat call the flop here. OK, if a 9, 4, or /images/graemlins/spade.gif hits the turn, you might have to drop it if he fires again, but if he fires again on a blank turn, then you can at least consider dropping it. At least that way, you might be able to pick up another bet from someone with a hand like 89s, which you will not be able to get if you push. One additional consideration is that someone with an OESD+Flush draw or pair+flush draw actually has more equity that you do in this pot on the flop, so for that reason, too, it might be a good idea to wait until you see a blank turn to push.

[JonnyKK]

Thank you for the words. In this particular situation, we were HU, so I do understand your POV about flat calling, if there were others in the hand. In this HU situation, I was content taking the pot right there and then, thus the push. I've done this several times with great success, while people would try and chase their flush. When I play my big pocket pairs QQ+ I will normally PF raise a decent amt for value, push on the flop if there is a flush draw, or bet out if its raggy rainbow.

In retrospect, perhaps a mini-raise to his bet on the flop would have been appropriate. I just want to think that I made the right play. I just want affirmation that this kind of play that villian made, is the kind of play we want at a table (calling largish PF raises with suited gapper type hands).

[TheWorstPlayer]

Calling off a 6th of his stack is definitely a very poor play. If you can get away from his miracle flop with some of your stack intact, it makes calling off a 6th of his stack a very VERY poor play. Your play was not bad at all. It would not be a bad play to raise to $20 and then push on any flop. Doesn't mean there might not exist a better play.

[JonnyKK]

Thank you for the reply's WorstPlayer. Just out of curiosity, how would you have played these Aces being on the BB.

[TheWorstPlayer]

Not sure. Preflop, I play the same. On the flop, it is always a tricky situation when someone leads into you. I usually raise it up unless I have seen the opponent lead into a PFR with the goods before. In this case, the stacks aren't that deep and you gave bad odds preflop, so losing your stack is not the worst thing in the world, but it is obviously preferable to avoid it if possible. I might min-raise the flop bet and then fold to a push. If he calls the flop raise and bets the turn, I might fold, I might push. If he calls the flop raise and checks the turn I am almost definitely pushing. I also might smooth call the flop. If he bets the turn, I am folding most likely if it is a pot-sized bet or pushing if it is a small bet. If he checks the turn, I am almost definitely pushing. It is just a tricky situation and you have to go with your read if you have one. There was an awesome thread in the high/mid forum a little while ago where it was a live game and the PFR got lead into with AK on an Axx flop and he had such a good read that he just flat out folded on the flop and the other guy showed his set. It is possible, but even the other posters on the high/mid forum were astonished that he could make that laydown without losing a cent.