Misplayed AJ in the SB?

[rtucker5]

I think I played this hand poorly, but would like other people's opinions.

5/10 6 max game at Party. Game was fairly passive with about half the hands going to showdown.

Loose/passive player limps UTG. He has been seeing a high number of flops and generally bets when it is checked to him and he has position. All fold to me in the SB and I raise with AJo. BB and UTG call. Flop comes 10 8 2 two tone. I check, BB checks, UTG bets. I check raise, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn A making a flush possible. I check, UTG bets, I call.

River 2 pairing the board. I check and call again. What do you think?

[stripsqueez]

i was loving it - i read how you checked the turn and thought to myself "wow hes going for the double check raise" - i was excited when UTG bet the turn - and then you called ?

i like the flop check raise - obviously it is player dependant and not something you do a lot - having check raised your overcards i cant believe you merely call him down when you hit on the turn - screw the flush - i would of bet out

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[tewall]

I like the way you played it. If you're ahead, I don't see how you could have gotten more out of the hand, and if you're behind, you limited your losses. You correctly anticpated he would continue betting into you if you checked.

[soda]

I also thought you played this rather weakly after the flop, but you did justify it with a read on the opponent that was certainly correct here.

Interesting to note that you raised this hand from the SB, a very aggressive move and one that I'm unlikely to make very often, unless the BB might fold. Also, the CR on the flop is very aggressive and is one that I'm very likely to make. But then you completely went limp after that. Interesting. It will be tough for your opponents to get a read on you for sure - and this is good.

What isn't good is that you checked when your hand was very likely to be good on the turn, but can easily be beaten on the next card. You also left out some information - did you have the J of the unnamed possible flush suit? I'm guessing that you did not. In fact, I'm very sure you did not. If you did not have the J of the unnamed suit, then I believe a CR to be superior to a check call and a straight bet out (given your read). Information like that is very important and should not be left out if you want the best possible advice. Because if you do have the Jack of the unnamed possible flush suit, I believe a check call to be the superior play as you might be drawing dead and tempted to call his three bet if your CR goes awry.

Furthermore, your read on your opponent was such that he would not take a free card if you checked to him. Then, check call would be ok (but I still see CR as superior - he may very well fold a smaller card of the unnamed possible flush suit increasing your profit meaningfully). I can't argue with your results here, I just hope you do not routinely play hands in this manner, unless of course, it is against me.

soda

[anatta]

When someone raises before the flop, and then check-raises the flop, AND its headsup and they then check the turn (when the Ace comes!), I am suspicious, but that's me. You said he was aggressive, and often they can't help but bet.

[rtucker5]

Soda,

Thanks for the in depth reply. You are correct, I didn't have the J flush draw. I really botched the turn check-raise. I did raise the UTG limper because I thought I had the best hand and I wanted to play the hand heads up. I checkraised the flop because there was a chance I still had UTG beat and I wanted the BB to fold. As it turned out, UTG had K 10 for the top pair on the flop with the K high flush draw on the turn and I took it down. I left at least 1 bet on the table.