AQo in SB -- How'd I do?

[El Dukie]

15-30 Game. It's been fairly loose, with a couple of "any two suited" players, two or three weak-tights, and a couple of guys actually playing well. (I'm in one of the last two categories....)

UTG limps, UTG + 1 limps, MP and Button limp. I look down to find A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif in the SB. I complete. BB checks, and six players see the flop.

Flop is Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 4 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. Not too shabby. I check, with the intention of check-raising to hopefully thin the field. BB checks, UTG bets, UTG + 1 folds, MP raises, Button cold-calls 2, I 3-bet, BB folds, UTG, MP, and Button call. I'm pretty sure I'm ahead at this point, but I don't like the raise from MP and cold-call from the button. UTG and MP might have weaker Queens or diamonds. Of course, they could also have 22 or 44, but I think it's unlikely. I tentatively put the button on a diamond draw, since I'm not sure what else he'd be cold-calling with.

Turn is J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif. Not good. I'm still holding the A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif, though, so I've got a redraw. I go into check-call mode, wanting to see what action develops. To my surprise, it's checked around. In hindsight, I think everyone put me on the diamonds, and was afraid of getting checkraised.

River is 6 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I bet. Results in white:

<font color="white"> UTG and MP both call. Button folds. UTG and MP chop it up, each with QJo. </font>

[Barry]

FWIW, I think that you played it fine, although I'm sure some would advocate betting the turn here, I wouldn't out of position with 3 others still in the pot.

[Mikey]

I would have raised preflop and lead out on the flop.
You shouldn't be too worried about checkraising to clear the field because flushdraws aren't going anywhere and free cards aren't that dangerous, if they hit their flush they were going to go for it regardles and if they do hit on the turn then you have the redraw.

I would have lead out on the flop and hopefully got in a reraise.

I know its probably too much with just top pair, but like you said yourself, you have the nut diamond.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if you came out on top here.

On turn you should lead out here. If they have QJ then they outdrew you and thats poker.

Any Queen on this flop and any flush draw isn't going anywhere.

Thats how I'd play it.
But that's just me, I'm an aggressive gambler.

[Clarkmeister]

Wow, good post Mikey. Particularly the flop analysis. No reason to worry about "thinning the field" with that board, pot and a top pair of queens. Now if the board had been QT6 instead of Q42, thinning the field makes more sense.

[Your Mom]

Now if the board had been QT6 instead of Q42, thinning the field makes more sense.

I had never really considered such a thing. Thanks.