Making the right call?

[WalleyeJason]

Last night I was playing in a 10-20 game that I would call loose passive.

I’m in MP and get AsKh

I open Raise and get re-raised by a player two seats away and BB cold calls 2 it’s my turn to act should I capOr should I call?.

The player(Bob, for the sake of a name) that re-raised me I do not have a good read on him since I have just sat down to the game. The few hands I have seen him play, he has shown down just once and took down a pot w/ KQs after flopping QQ3. He did not raise pre-flop on this hand. But he did Check-Raise the flop, and fire out on the turn and river.
Only seeing him play a couple of hand is not enough to make a good read from, but I would assume that he has above average HE skills.

Having position on me I will get no further information on him by capping this bet. I'm 100% that the BB will call because he is a calling station and will play just about anything. What Info am I giving my opponent by capping this bet? Or, is the capping of this bet just a vehicle of getting more money into the pot while I may have close to best hand if not the best hand??

This makes me think a little about Pre-flop strategy.

I usually will cap this with premium hands no questions asked. Although, I think about what Image I reflect to the other players as I am just playing my first hand of the day.
So, do I "Lay-up" to look passive, and not represent a premium hand? Or, do I cap it and get the best value in terms of chips, not image?

Anyway, this is not over yet.

I decide to "lay-up" in favor of making my opponent think I might have a less-than-premium hand.

The flop comes K J J two spades.

The BB checks, I check for a check raise and Bob bets and BB calls I raise.
I don’t even finish saying raise and Bob has re-raised me rather quickly, BB folds.

Now, I want to stay aggressive, and let Bob know I have a good part of this hand. I also have a few outs to improve so I cap it this time. (Over played my hand?)

The turn brings a 3s so now there are 3 spades up giving me a draw to the flush, and I bet out. Bob just calls- Is Bob slowing down now? Or did he just tell me that maybe he doesn’t have the lead.

The River brings another rag...5c

Should I bet out, or check? If he slow played the turn, and I check this could save me 1 BB. But If I bet out, he may lay down? Or should I try for a check-raise? With My TTPTK I could be WAY behind
to any suited Spade hand or just a J. His call on the turn, was it weakness or a good play?

Anyway, Did I overplay this hand up until now?

My decision...And results to come. I hope I don’t sound like I’m babbling(sp)

WJ

[andyfox]

Looks to me like he has pocket aces.

[Rushmore]

When you check-raise him on the flop and he smooth calls, it is possible that he is waiting for the turn to put in the big raise.

But he does not.

If, as you say, he is a player, then he's not likely to allow you to get all the way to the end without paying off a big bet raise if you're beat. Smooth calling the turn certainly makes this a very real possibility.

Therefore, I believe a value bet on the end is in order.

But don't be surprised if you're chopping.

[Rushmore]

Aces shifting into call mode from the flop on with this board headsup?

I don't see him not 3-betting the flop or raising the turn with aces here. Not even a "raise and fold to a reraise" on the turn? Just a "well, he check-raised the river so I'm just calling all the way from here?"

Hmm.

[andyfox]

My reading of the post has Bob 3-betting the flop.

[Diplomat]

There are very few hands that a decent player could hold considering the board and action thus far in this hand other than AA and AK, or a semi-whacko QQ.

-Diplomat

[Rushmore]

Right you are. Sorry.

But even STILL, I think the turn raise-fold-to-reraise option is in order for most decent players.

...which is NOT such a great option on the river.