throwing a curveball, limping in in late middle with AJo

[brad]

so i was gonna raise but the conditions werent right (expected 3 to 4 cold callers) so i limped in 2 or 3 off button when passed to me.

cutoff calls, button raises, blinds call, i call.

flop

A 5 8 with 2 diamonds.

checked to button who bets, i call, cutoff calls, blinds fold.

turn blank. checked to button call call.

river blank. checked to button call call.

when cutoff overcalled i thought he had made two pair, but no he had a bad Ace and button had AT so i won.

what do u think of how i played it? i felt i played it totally thematically but this does not mean i played well /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[Manzanita]

brad,

I think that you played your hand too passively.

You should have opened with a raise pre-flop rather than limping in (a hand like AJo is very good in your position and plays best against few opponents).

The flop is favorable for your hand. You should have bet out on all streets (and 3-bet the flop if given the chance).

-- Manzanita

[Ed Miller]

I would have checkraised either the flop or turn.

[mikelow]

I actually think your way of playing was alright. I can't vizualize getting any more out of your hand playing it any other way.

[joedot]

you played it just fine. slansky recommends not raising a lot with offsuit hands, except ak. Unless you think you can eliminate players and get it heads up. Most of the time, people come in anyway, as surely would have happened here. So you limp, and trap this guy into thinking he had the best of it the whole way. Nice hand.