ram and jam or wait until the turn?

[steveyz]

Party Poker 3/6 (10 handed)

I have Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif and I am the button

UTG limps, EP1 raises, EP2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, CO folds, Hero 3-bets, UTG calls, EP1 calls, MP1 calls

4 to the flop

flop is [5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q /images/graemlins/club.gif T /images/graemlins/heart.gif]

UTG checks, EP1 calls, MP1 calls, Hero calls, UTG calls

turn is [A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif]

UTG checks, EP1 checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets, UTG calls, EP1 raises, MP1 folds, Hero 3-bets, UTG folds, EP1 caps.

river is [5 /images/graemlins/spade.gif]

EP1 bets, Hero raises, EP1 calls

---------------------------------------------------

EP1 has AQ and I drag the 21BB pot.

Do you think I should have raised the flop? At first I thought that perhaps EP1 was testing to the waters to see if I have an overpair or AK. I thougth the smooth call might lead him to believe I had did indeed have AK. With his turn check raise I knew he had AQ.

One general problem of mine is that when I flop a big hand (top set w/ no flush draws), and I am bet into, I always just want to wait until the turn to raise. In this case, I think I might have cost me a few BBs by not collecting more from UTG and MP1 on the flop. What do you all think? Should i just ram and jam with this hand in this situation?

[Nate tha' Great]

Flopping a big hand and being bet into is an entirely different situation than what you're facing here. In that case, it's often a good play to wait for the turn to raise.

In this case, it isn't. You're on the button and you'd 3-bet before the flop. Everyone is expecting you to bet. Bet. It gives away absolutely no information about your hand. By doing so, you give somebody the opportunity to check-raise (then you have a decision about whether to 3-bet right away or wait until the turn). By failing to do so, you're missing a bunch of bets.

Also, you're not representing AK very well, since AK would be correct to bet here (with position, a large pot, and the extra outs with the broadway draw). Smart opponents might smell a flopped set and not give you as much action on later streets.

[Alobar]

He was bet into, not checked too.

I'd raise the flop, your putting more money into the pot that you are ahead on. Your charging a straight draw if one is out there. If you get 3 bet, then I'd just call and raise the turn barring a horrible card.

[Clarkmeister]

Raising the flop here is absolutely mandatory.