AJs in MP3

[NAU_Player]

I've begun evaluating my first 1k hands at 1/2
Opinions/newb bashing is welcome

Villain is 16.46/8.86/1.57 after 79 hands. Haven't seen him be tricky.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

<font color="blue"> Calling 2 cold against a TA. In hindsight, folding would probably be better here. AJs too easily dominated. (see question #1)</font>

Flop: (7 SB) T/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets</font>, Hero calls, SB folds.

<font color="blue"> Contemplated raising for information here, but realized that would be stupid. Either I'm up against a higher A, or he has a pocketpair and wants to take the pot. If he does have a PP, I dont want to scare him off. So I'm either way ahead or way behind. (see question #2) </font>

Turn: (4.50 BB) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets</font>, Hero calls.

<font color="blue"> Still way ahead/behind. (see question #3) </font>

River: (6.50 BB) 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG+1 calls.

<font color="blue"> Check indicates to me that his hand is weak. Either a weak ace or a pocket pair. Given his pf raise, I think I can rule out AA, AK, and maybe AQ. Giving me more than enough of a reason to raise for value. (question #4)</font>

Final Pot: 8.50 BB

Questions:
1. Calling 2 cold in MP3 with AJs against a TA - incredibly stupid right?
2. Raise and fold to a 3-bet?
3. Since I decided to call the flop, do I fold the turn UI with what may be the best hand?
4. Check behind or bet for value?

[istewart]

I actually like your postflop line. I would not call that preflop though.

[deepsquat]

Definately fold pf.

Id either riase the flop or the the trun. He could easily have pocket 10's thru to Queens.

The way u played it id raise the turn. I hate folding to 3 bets so id call if 3bet (which is usually wrong) and check/fold the river UI

[Isura]

1. I don't like cold-calling. But since villian seems pretty aggressive preflop, I would fold or 3-bet preflop. It's less likely you're dominated against a 9% pf-raiser than against a 5% pf-raiser. So if I'm going to play, I'm taking control with my position against UTG.

2. I'm not sure about the flop call with SB still in the hand. SB will call 2 with a flush, but a bad player will also call with a gutshot (which is more likely with 2 high cards on board). I would raise. If villian 3-bets the flop, I call one more on the turn. He could still bet the turn with JJ-KK if he suspects you were trying for a free card. I fold the river UI if he bets again, otherwise take the free showdown.
Given the way you played the flop, I like the turn and river play.

[istewart]

Ah, I thought it was heads-up the whole way postflop. Good points Isura.

[scotty34]

1. You got it
2. I think you can take either line here really (raise, call if 3-bet and fold turn UI or call it down). Personally I like the raise-call-fold line, but I don't think it's a huge mistake either way.
3. After calling the flop, there is no reason not to call the turn. If you were going to fold the turn, you might as well have folded the flop, as you weren't getting close to the odds to draw to 3 outs.
4. Villains play looks very weak to me. If he had an A with a Q or K, there is no way I see him checking here, as he would not want it to be checked behind. My guess is he has a PP and realizes he is beat.

[NAU_Player]

It’s long, I’m sorry /images/graemlins/frown.gif I really do want some serious help on this though; my postflop logic seems to be wrong more often than not

re: postflop raise

Let’s assume you are the villain, and you have KK through TT.
Scenario 1: You raise PF and some SLAA guy calls 2 cold. Flop comes with an ace and you bet, hoping everyone folds. SLAA then raises you - you either fold the flop or fold turn UI, right?
Scenario 2: SLAA calls the flop, and raises you on the turn. You either fold now or you call down.

Now lets assume the same scenario as above only you have AK
Scenario 1: you 3-bet and lead the turn and river
Scenario 2: you 3-bet and lead the river

From my point of view, raising the flop still seems wrong.
If you are ahead and the villain folds the flop you are -2BB. If he calls down you are +1SB
If you are behind and follow isura’s line you are +1SB over my line

-2+.5+.5=-1BB to my line


With a turn raise:
If you are ahead and the villain calls down, you are +1BB over the way I played. If he folds, you are -1BB.
If you are behind, you get 3-bet. You can fold the turn (break even with how if played assuming villain leads river) or call the 3-bet and the river bet (-3BB)

-1+1+0-3=-3BB to my line

So, if we are looking at EV with this hand in similar situations, which line has the best EV? Against a smart villain, as seems to be the case here, I think that raising has the least EV. (Someone check my math/logic?)

Edit: Now, all of this is assuming that the SB either isn’t in on the flop, or that he will fold behind you. My read on SB is that he is LPP, folding to postflop aggression without a good hand. I know that wasn’t included in the beginning (I didn’t think it was very necessary since he folded – my bad) I haven't re-evaluated any of this with the SB in the hand... /images/graemlins/blush.gif /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[atnels]

I personally like a flop raise. In situations like this where you're up against I tight player and a cold callers tag along, I like to (try to) identify their holdings right away. If they call two bets cold on the flop, you can use that info later in the hand. If you're reraised, I think I'd call down unimproved if the SB bails out. If the SB stays, I might dump it against a bet on the turn unimproved.

I find myself paying attention to how other players play postflop with big pocket pairs nearly as much as I do their preflop selection and aggression. There are players in this situation who might just check and call with AK in this situation if you display even the slightest agression postflop. In the same sense, some players would ram and jam QQ just because that's what they do.

[Evan]

I HATE the preflop cold call.

On the flop, the call is okay. If SB overcalls I'd plan on raising the turn. Once the turn is HU your plan to call/bet if checked to is a good one.

Seriously though, fold preflop, especially against someone w/ good stats like this guy.