AQ mess (Stars 33)

Stars $33, early so no reads.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

UTG (t1420)
UTG+1 (t1480)
MP1 (t1460)
MP2 (t1450)
MP3 (t1490)
CO (t1650)
Button (t1830)
SB (t1260)
Hero (t1460)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 calls t20, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (t60) 9/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t40</font>, Hero calls t40, MP1 calls t40.

Turn: (t180) Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t200</font>, MP1 calls t200, SB folds.

River: (t580) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets t1200 (All-In)</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1780

Comments on all streets would be appreciated.

The river check makes me cringe, but my spidey sense says there's a good chance I'm beat. I don't like him flat calling my turn bet, I think he's chasing or has picked up random garbage 2 pair or better. If I bet the river, I have to fold to a raise, so decided to let him set the price. Seemed like a good idea at the time /images/graemlins/frown.gif

I think folding the flop is the best way to avoid this situation.

Having reached the turn, I'd lead for less, say 120 or so. Assuming the action stays the same otherwise, the river pot is then 420. There's no real reason to think the 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif helped him, so I'd then lead the river for 200-250. If he raises at that point, you'll have to re-evaluate.

As it played out, I think there's a decent chance he's bluffing the missed heart flush. Why would a two pair/straight/set hand flat call that turn and then overbet the river? I still don't think you can call, though, without a read that he'd be likely to make this play and given the stack you still have left when you fold.

[jwesty5]

Preflop: raising would be ok since you have position on the SB and MP1 has already shown some weakness just calling. I don't think checking is necessarily wrong though.

Flop: I'd probably let it go only getting 2.5 to 1 on your money. Even if you hit 1 of your outs you could make someone else 2 pair or a straight