How many mistakes did I make with this AQ?

[Martin Aigner]

Playing 15/30 on Party. Typical table, most hands raised 1 time preflop, 3-4 players seeing the flop.

UTG and UTG+1 call the blind. I´m UTG + 2 and raise up to 30 with my A /images/graemlins/heart.gif Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif . Next player mucks, MP makes it 45, 2 players fold, LP calls 45 cold (he just sat down at the table about 5 hands before), other players including the blinds, UTG and UTG+1 muck and I call.

Flop: T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/club.gif 2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I check, and so do both other players behind me!

Turn: Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I check, MP checks, LP bets. I call, so does MP.

River: T /images/graemlins/spade.gif

Check / check / bet / call / call

LP shows 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif 4 /images/graemlins/club.gif for a 8 high

I show my Qs up

MP mucks. Hand history tells that he had 66.

After I read the hand history I knew that I played this hand for a maximum profit. Anyway, what do you think of the way I played it?

Preflop: Would you raise with AQo in EP when UTG and UTG+1 already called?

Flop: Should I really check the flop? Actually I would have called 1 bet for the gutshot, but if there would have been more action behind me I would have mucked without hesitation. And honestly, I expected at least 1 bet.

Turn: I´m not sure whether this card helped me. Again, I wanted to check the action first before I comitted any chips. If it´s back to me for 2 bets it´s an easy muck. Should I bet the turn and muck to a raise? Of cuorse there are lots of draws out there, but it´s easy possibly that I´m drawing to 2 or 3 cards for a chop.

River: I think the play here was a nobrainer.

Any comments appreciated

Best regards

Martin Aigner

[anatta]

For better or worse, you played it like I would have. Of course you raise preflop with AQo here. I would check the flop also, a bet has almost no chance to win the pot given the preflop action. I would hope that it is just one bet back...even better they all checked. The turn gives you a hand, but as you implied, one of those checkers could have AK.

This is a decent pot, and I don't want to bet and fold to a raise. I don't want to! I would check like you did and see, if there is a bet and a raise, fold, but you can call one back. You can always just catch a king and chop if you have to.

So the new guy had 84s? You probably don't need to be told this, but be nice in your player notes. "poor" is fine. I reserve the label "idiot" for when they win the pot. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[turnipmonster]

I think checkraising or just betting the turn is better than check calling in this spot. most players are not going to 3 bet you without the nuts (AK), and otherwise you get money in when you have the best hand.

--turnipmonster