3 betting ATo before the flop

[JTG51]

A player just returned to the table and bought the button. For those that don't know the rule, that means he paid his SB and BB from what would normally be the SB seat. There are no other blinds. His SB is dead money in the pot.

I'm on the button. On my right, in the CO is a good player. Everyone folds to him and he raises. I three bet with ATo. The blind folds and we see the flop heads up.

The question is how low are your 3 betting standards in a spot like this? With a dead SB in the pot and only one blind defender, a good player could open raise from LP with an even wider range of hands.

I think the post flop play is pretty routine, but I'll include it for the sake of completeness.

Flop: T /forums/images/icons/spade.gif T /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 9 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif

I bet, he check raises and I call.

Turn: [T /forums/images/icons/spade.gif T /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 9 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ] 5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif

He bets, I raise, he calls.

River: [T /forums/images/icons/spade.gif T /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 9 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif ] 2 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

I bet, he calls.

Feel free to comment on the post flop play if you find something interesting.

Thanks.

[Bob T.]

The cutoff was in steal position, I would three bet if I thought that he was capable of stealing from that position, otherwise, you have to fold, because you want to eliminate the blinds, and try and play this headsup, if you are going to play.

Good luck,
play well,

Bob T.

[bad beetz]

I think it's OK. AT would be about the lowest I'd go for this move, and even still that's a toss up between 3 betting and folding. From the looks of things, he had you smoked before the flop, but I guess he didn't think you'd three bet with AT judging from the action that followed.

I'd probably make a play at that dead money with any ace from the cutoff, so it follows that maybe 3 betting with AT is a good idea.

[Ed Miller]

Many players will attempt to steal from the cutoff with relatively weak hands. Many of these same players will assume that you don't realize this, and therefore need a premium hand to 3-bet with. They will turn into a pussycat when the flop misses them and just fold. I think your 3-bet here is fine if your opponent roughly fits this profile.

[Tyler Durden]

I would have turned over the ace when he checkraised me on the flop. Then I would have 3-bet the flop.

I don't know why I'd do that. It would be cool though.

[JTG51]

From the looks of things, he had you smoked before the flop...

Yup, turns out he had a real hand, JJ. He was pretty unhappy with his play afterwards, saying he overplayed it.

[JTG51]

He's certainly a good enough player to know that I don't have to give his raise much credit. He knows I could 3 bet with a weakish hand. He's also good enough to fold a big pair when it's clear he's behind.

I think that's why I got so much action on the hand (He had JJ). He knew that I knew he doesn't have to have a big hand, so he thought I could have had 99 or overcards.