NLHE tourney--what do you think of my turn bet?

[Tyler Durden]

Multitable on stars. I have twice the average stack. So I have ~T3500. Blinds at T25 and T50.

I get AQo in EP and open for T230. One caller in MP, whose stack is a little below average.

Flop comes Q-9-8 with two spades (I have the Ace of spades).
I overbet the pot by betting T650. He calls.

Turn is an offsuit King.
His stack now has T675. I bet T650.

Thoughts?

[Paul2432]

I think your turn bet is pretty much automatic given the size of the pot versus the stack of your opponent. Given the number of draws on board he could easily hold a hand that you beat. If I had to guess his hand I would say either JJ or AJ of spades.

The only question I have is why did you not set him all-in but instead leave him with 25? Is there a psychological element to this play?

Paul

[Magician]

I like it. If he called with JT (and has the straight now) pre-flop he is stupid.

Even calling with a pocket pair pre-flop he is not getting a good price (pay 230 compared to his stack of 1,700).

If he hasn't flat called with AA or KK you are probably ahead.

So bet. And I like leaving him the 25. It's kind of insulting and maybe make him more likely to call.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I'm having a hard time believing you're ahead unless your opponent is an idiot. You may indeed be up against another AQ, but there's also a chance you're drawing dead and he's letting you bet his hand for him. If the Q isn't a spade, then I'd also consider that he might be playing KsQs like this, but that's about the only hand I can see him playing like this that you can beat.

I don't know what to suggest. I normnally muck AQo in EP playing NL. Once he calls a pot-size flop bet with this board, you've got to feel in trouble.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I like it. If he called with JT (and has the straight now) pre-flop he is stupid.

A lot of people will flat call preflop with JTs. I don't agree with that, but what possible hands that Tyler can beat would this opponent be playing like this that wouldn't be more stupid than the preflop call? Even with KK, I think the opponent would have raised the flop, reading the overbet as *not* representing the nuts.

[Magician]

After Tyler overbet the pot on the flop he already committed himself to seeing it through.

I would've bet the pot on the flop and then slowed down if I was smooth called.

[cferejohn]

Have any read on your opponent at this point? Is he weak enough to call off 1/2 his remaining stack in order to hit a flush? Frankly that call looks awfly scary. To me it says trips, AA/KK, or a flopped straight that doesn't want you to lay down if he re-raises. If he is on a draw, it's probably a big one. My best guess would be KJ or KQ of spades (assuming the Q is not a spade), in which case he just beat you.

All that said, you are pretty pot-committed here and have second pair, best kicker. I would probably put him all-in here too. He's pot committed at this point and will probably call if he just has QJ or something like that.

[Magician]

It depends a lot on the buy-in and if you've seen him before.

Generally in a low buy-in I bet out on the turn too because a lot of fish would call with an inferior hand.

If it's a bigger buy-in ($50 and up) I'd be more careful.

[Tyler Durden]

He called my turn bet with KT hearts. No help on the river and he won the pot.

I hadn't played with him long so no read on him.
I meant to put him all-in on the turn but the thing that you move was being stubborn.

Thanks for the responses. I liked my bet, I didn't think I had other options.