5-5 NL 3-handed w/ straddle

[aggie]

5-5 NL….Hero and villian have been playing heads up for 2 hours when 3rd player buys in for minimum. I have been playing extremely laggish and villain has been effectively mixing up aggressive play with allowing me to bluff off chips. We both have $2500

Villian straddles on button and I limp from the BB w Ah-Kh. Villian raises to $60 (as he often does) and I call.

Pot = $125

Flop Q-J-6 with 2 spades

I check, he bets $75 and I raise to $300. Villian calls.

Turn offsuit 10.

I bet $400 and villain calls.

River J of spades

Hero?

Comments on all streets appreciated. Results to follow.

[Yeti]

Bet more on the turn. You just hit an absolutely gorgeous card.

$650-700.

[turnipmonster]

the river is a Js, and hero does something that does not involve a blocking bet!

also, you did not say if the Q was a spade. can he have pair + flush draw or no?

[aggie]

sorry, the Q was a spade.....

Actually though, since the river was the J of spades, the queen on the flop must have been a spade. I was just testing your reasoning abilities /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[aggie]

So I bet $500 on the river. Do you like it or hate it?

[mgsimpleton]

[ QUOTE ]
So I bet $500 on the river. Do you like it or hate it?

[/ QUOTE ]

do you put him on spades? are you planning on folding to a raise? would he raise KJ or AJ in this spot?

[aggie]

[ QUOTE ]
do you put him on spades?

[/ QUOTE ]

At the time i thought he had AQ but was willing to quickly change my mind if i got raised.

[ QUOTE ]
are you planning on folding to a raise?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, he was not overly tricky, so i thought i could safely lay my hand down to a raise here

[ QUOTE ]
would he raise KJ or AJ in this spot?

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably not, but i'm not sure...

[thabadguy]

I'm gonna assume he's gonna raise AJ or KJ preflop in a HU/3 handed game.
I am a bit divided between betting river and check calling.
The only possible hands he's gonna call with that you beat are AJ and KJ.
On the other hand, if you check, he might bet some additional hands that u do beat, maybe a big pair, although turn play is weird for a big pair IMO, which could possibly be induced by your flop CR,(do u CR a lot, if yes...with what)
In the end i think a check call, is slightly better than a lead, i dont think you're losing too much value if you check call.

[aggie]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm gonna assume he's gonna raise AJ or KJ preflop in a HU/3 handed game.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm don't think this opponent would have made it to the river with these hands. He probably would have folded to the checkraise on the flop.

[ QUOTE ]

The only possible hands he's gonna call with that you beat are AJ and KJ.


[/ QUOTE ]

My river bet was a blocking bet. If he had me beat, and i checked, he would probably bet big. If he had something like AQ i think he would have to call at this point for pot-odds.

[ QUOTE ]
In the end i think a check call, is slightly better than a lead, i dont think you're losing too much value if you check call.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd definitely like to hear more opinions on this.

[turnipmonster]

the reason I don't like a blocker here is because it seems like he's quite capable of bluff raising and your bet screams "I am not full". I dunno, I could be wrong.

[mgsimpleton]

exactly. would you really bet 500 into a 1500 dollar pot with a full, hoping he had spades? no, you'd bet a ton more... so if he's reallllly as ABC as you say then maybe it's a good move, but i agree with turnip - if he's capable of ever making a play, this is the time to do it when the spades and the boat get there and you make a weak ass blocking bet. (no offense)

if he's horrible i like the play but if he's at all decent i think you have to check call a reasonable bet. you're going to lose value from AQ, sure... but i think a flush or a full raise you here, and he might take a stab with a KT type of hand, which also seems to fit this line well.

[aggie]

[ QUOTE ]
the reason I don't like a blocker here is because it seems like he's quite capable of bluff raising and your bet screams "I am not full". I dunno, I could be wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally get what you are saying. My read on this particular opponent was that he was not much of a bluffer (especially in large pots and for big amounts)...My bet definitely screamed weakness, but i was not really afraid of being bluff raised.

I also thought he would have played a set harder on this board earilier in the hand. I actually read him pretty squarely as having AQ or KQ...That said, my reads definitely might have been off.

When i bet the $500 i was thinking more about extracting value than blocking. However, i told myself if he moved all in i was going to fold.

[aggie]

[ QUOTE ]
exactly. would you really bet 500 into a 1500 dollar pot with a full, hoping he had spades?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, when i play live i rely heavily on reads. If i think my opponent is weak, i will bet an the maximum amount that i think i can get paid off for. Sometimes that is only 1/3 the pot. Of course if i think my opponent is strong, i will bet a whole lot more.

Also, if my opponent had spades, i think he would have just called my "weak ass blocking bet" (no offense ever taken by the way) fearing a full house from me (which i think i very well may have had).

[turnipmonster]

when I play live I rely heavily on crystal meth. it gives me that extra edge.

[Jonny]

I like a check/call on the river. He may try to bluff you out, or even value bet 2 pair or trips. That 500 looks like a blocking bet, so you could open the door to be raised with it.

I think check/call is the superior play.

[aggie]

I bet 500 and he quickly called with AQ...

To be honest, i'm suprised i got so many advocating a check call. I hate hate calling a very large bet (although i probably would) and i don't think my opponent will bluff very often. He probably has something and will probably be content to show down any hand worse than mine.

Anyway, i wasn't sure which is why i posted this, but i am extremely suprised by what everybody said.