Tough Flop Decision (A9s)

[W. Deranged]

10/20 private

Table is pretty soft for this particular game. A few more limped pots than are characteristic for this game. I'm in LP, 2 off the button. To my right is the table's big LAG. In the CO is a tight but not too aggressive player who seems quite ABC from my experience. In the button is a fairly strong, TAGish type who is more creative than the CO but may outthink himself sometimes and has the tendency to weaken a little on later streets.

We are 9 handed at this point.

Hero is dealt A /images/graemlins/spade.gif9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif in late position (2 off button).

Two limpers and two folds to Deranged, Deranged calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks. 7 to the flop, 7 SB.

Flop: A /images/graemlins/club.gif3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif4 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

Four checks, DERANGED BETS, CO RAISES, BUTTON THREE-BETS, four folds, Deranged...

[axioma]

this is a tough decision?

[W. Deranged]

At the time, it was the reads that made the decision tough. Folding would seem the stock answer here against unknowns or standard opponents, but I've been in situations where the two players behind were lags types and the flop becomes an easy cap.

Given that the two players behind me:
-Are both capable players who might raise hands like 77, a smaller ace, or a flush draw
-Are aware enough to notice that I'm fairly aggressive and hence might try a re-steal type play here

I do have a small number of outs on the turn, and may likely be ahead here. My point is simply that these effects add up to a non-obvious decision.

[Paxosmotic]

It's CO's passivity that turns this into a fold. The ace flopped and he raised you. I don't think there's any chance at all that you're ahead here, and facing two cold is as good a time as any to get out of the way.

[W. Deranged]

CO is by no means passive. I would characterize him as neutral and perhaps on the slightly aggressive side compared to most players at the level, but simply less aggressive than a more dangerous player would be (and less aggressive than me or the button in the hand in question).

[deetle]

Raise preflop

[mtdoak]

I think you call 2 intending to fold to any diamond or if its 2 BB back to you again on the turn.

[shant]

Raise preflop.

[W. Deranged]

Yep. Duly noted. I tend to play some of these high volume hands that have multi-way/big-pot potential too weakly pre-flop.

Thanks.