Post-flop play of AQ from EP

[DeuceKicker]

Party Poker 1/2 (10 handed)
Hero has A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif and is EP1

Hero raises, MP2 3-bets, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls, Hero calls

I don't have a great read on MP2 at this time, but he seems tight-aggressive

Flop(10 SB): T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif

BB checks, Hero checks, MP2 checks

This is where I struggle with unmade (AK, AQ) raising hands from EP. If I'm reraised PF and miss the flop, I turn passive and check to the raiser because I don't want to be raised. I realize that I just gave straight and flush draws a free card, though I was expecting MP2 to bet (in which case, does MajorKong kill me for thinking 'fold'? /images/graemlins/crazy.gif)

Turn(5 BB): A/images/graemlins/heart.gif

BB checks, Hero bets, MP2 raises, BB folds, Hero calls

So we both don't like the flop, but like the A. He seems to have AA, AK, or AQ here, so I call rather than 3-bet as it seems the best I can do is chop.

River(9 BB): 8/images/graemlins/club.gif

Hero checks, MP2 checks

Results in white: <font color="white">MP2 shows Ac,Jd and MHIG. How many bets did I lose?</font>

[ProfLupin]

Oh man, I don't like checking this flop. You have two overcards and an inside straight draw and you just gave a free card to a diamonds hand.

[William Wilson]

I might have very limited experience at this game, and I may be missing the point, but I find it extremely passive to not raise AQ-anything, at any position, preflop.

You've been waiting so long for a hand this strong, why not get your money in? Plus, if you raise preflop, you have the guy on his heels at the turn.

[Saborion]

I would bet out on this flop. I would bet the turn, and if raised, go into check-call mode due to possible AK behind me.

But DO bet the flop.

[Dylan Wade]

This sort of scenario shows exactly why you might want to muck AJo, ATo, and KQo pre-flop UTG. AQo is too good to muck, but it's still tough to play if raised. I don't really know the best play here. I'd bet out the flop but I'll give up on my hand pretty fast if the 3-better is tight. Check/calling the flop is OK, but it might encourage a raise from BB. Check/folding is a mistake, (for 1 bet).

[GuidoSarducci]

You definately needed to bet the flop. Both of you have apparently missed the flop, but since you act before MP this is a great time to bet for both information and/or value. It would also probably get rid of the BB, eliminating the possibility of him catching something on the turn. If you get re-raised on the flop you've got a better idea what you're up against..

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh man, I don't like checking this flop. You have two overcards and an inside straight draw and you just gave a free card to a diamonds hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think checking is fine. You seem to be worried about giving a free card to a diamond draw, yet at the moment hero's hand is in need of a free card as well, since there are very few reasonable hands with which MP2 could have three-bet PF which hero is not behind. However, it is possible that MP2 is waiting until the turn to raise, in order to try to reduce the pot odds for both hero and BB.

Once the turn brings the ace, and MP2 raises, it would seem pretty clear that he has AK, because he would likely only have called with AQ.

Although I can't imagine that Hero's hand is good, he lucked out not having to make the crying call after MP2 lost his nerve on the river, sinced he really should have known that there was little chance that the second eight would have helped Hero.
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I was amazed to read at the bottom that Hero's hand was good, since "tight-aggressive" players do not three-bet EP raisers with crap like AJo. Without being results oriented, I think Hero played this hand fine, since it will be a fairly rare occurance that AQo would be ahead on this flop against a pre-flop reraiser.

[DeuceKicker]

Chesspain,

I was pretty shocked that I won, also. Up to this time I didn't have a solid read or specific tendencies on my opponent; just a vague "seems decent" feeling. Maybe he was just trying to isolate me and take his AJ heads up. I see a lot of aggressive 2+2ers raising with AJ on the button, maybe he got a little over-aggressive. Then again, this hand is a couple weeks old, so maybe I had been doing a lot of pre-flop raising that I've forgotten about and he was trying to keep me honest.

[me454555]

You definatly want to check this flop. You raised pf and got 3bet by mp2. What hand do you think he has? Your proobbly up against, AA, AK, KK, QQ, maybe JJ. You probobly want to check/call this flop b/c you have the odds to draw to the gutshot if your up against an overpair.

Betting this flop would be terrible decision. Your not going to fold anyone w/a flush draw, you don't have a pair, and some of your outs aren't clean. With the preflop raiser still to act, you could be looking at a raise behind you.

On the turn I'd probobly look to check/call as well. MP2s flop check rules out the high pair. Your probobly against AK or AQ so check call and save yourself a bet.

[ramjam]

I'm with you. This hand is tricky because MP3 massively over-represented his hand by 3-betting an UTG raiser pre-flop with only AJ.

I wouldn't worry about giving a free card on the flop - I'd assume I didn't have the best hand at this point and that it was me who wanted a free card.

[Joe Tall]

I think you played it fine if your read of your opponent is tight-agressive.

It is a strage situation when heads up like this, however, you should not be folding on the flop with a hand like this when heads up if your opponent bets the flop.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[BugsBunny]

MP was, in my opinion, in a raise or fold situation. Depending on my read of an EP raiser and what I think his raising standards are that's what I would normally do.

If it's a decent player I normally would fold. Against the average idiot I would probably raise and try to isolate. If I don't think that a reraise would have a good chance to isolate then I would fold, even against average idiots.

If the player is unknown then I probably fold as well.

If EP caps then I tread very carefully (although I've seen caps with all sorts of garbage).