Calling a raise from the SB

[JPacker555]

1/2 party

MP is first one in, raises, LP cold calls, i call from SB with AJ. Flop comes Ace rag rag. I bet, MP raises, LP folds and I fold. Did i make a mistake calling preflop, betting the flop, or folding to the raise? I had just assumed that if he had KK, QQ etc he would have called, but with AK AA would have raised.

[Nottom]

A lot of players will raise with KK or QQ here even with the A out there because they don't like people taking shots at them. I probably would have called him down and not liked myself.

I tend to overprotect my blinds at times, but the hands I definately try and avoid are Ax hands since they tend to get you in trouble if you hit.

[Nate tha' Great]

If MP and LP are tight, then you should probably muck before the flop, unless the hand was suited.

Betting out on the flop was correct. But his raise could mean a variety of things. Some players are in fact more eager to raise you when they hold an underpair, in the hopes that they'll be able to knock someone off of an Ax hand where the x is not a King, or at least buy themselves a free river card. So I think it's a little bit weak to fold here, especially when the LP player folded and you have it heads up.

Checking and calling is not a horrible option. Presuming that you just check-called the whole way, and MP bet the whole way, then you'd be paying 2.5 additional big bets to win a pot of 9.5 BB. I think you'll win often enough to cover that.

Still, it's a marginal situation that is best avoided before the flop. If you're going to have to fold this hand to a single raise when you have a good flop, then you shouldn't play it to begin with.

[LetsRock]

I have no problem with your call of the pre-flop, or your bet out. Perfect in my book.

But I sure hope you lay down your top pair every time I raise your flop bet! That's exactly the goal of that raise. "Don't bet into me boy! Who do you think you're messing with?! My cards are unbeatable and you should go away now!"

odds are, if I raise you back in that situation, I don't have AA. I'd smooth call you all the way to the river and then pull the rabbit out of my hat! Then thank you for betting my hand for me.

Do you really think I want to risk scaring you away I if made a set of Aces?

AK might play out differently depending on other threats on the board.

I'm not suggesting that you fire back, but you should definately call him down unless other circumstances (action from other players, board gets ugly (pairs, flushes starights)) tell me that I'm in bad shape.

[Jezebel]

I think most MP's will open raise with many more hands than just AA - QQ and AK. As a matter of fact, any hand you plan to open with from MP should probably be with a raise.
I would probably 3 bet a solid player and fold to a 4th bet. Call down a maniac. And fold immediately to a rock.

[astroglide]

fold preflop. you have the worst position at the table. you are losing badly to ak/aq/aa/kk/qq, and you are not even going to have fun playing 3-4 ways on something like a qjx flop when the preflop raiser has tens.

calling here is a common *MISTAKE*

[balkii]

I only play unsuited Ax lower than AK, AQ, if I am going to play like i have the strongest ace. That is, if I am gonna be afraid of my kicker when i hit an A, i'm not even gonna see the flop. If you thought he had AK or AQ you should have folded preflop, not on the flop. I think once you're in the hand you have to call it down.