Pressing my luck? Too fancy with AQo?

[DrNick]

"Hi efferbody!"

Here's the hand.

I'm in the big blind with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif. One loose limper UTG+2, and the cutoff raises. I have the cutoff pegged as a semi-solid ABC player. Button and SB fold, I call. Anybody 3-bet here?

The flop comes 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2/images/graemlins/club.gif. We both check to the cutoff, who bets. I raise. Limper folds. Cutoff calls.

Turn is the T/images/graemlins/spade.gif. I bet, cutoff calls.

River is 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif. I bet, cutoff folds.

All comments welcome.

Cheers,
DrNick

[LAGmaniac]

I like it, although you are probably ahead of the Cutoff anyway. Looks like he was making a move on the loose limper with a hand like KJo, Ax or worse which you beat anyway. I think I'd play it exactly the same except I would check call the river hoping to induce a desperation bluff. The only hands you can hope to fold here are AQ an AK, and occasionally a baby pair so I think the bet on the river is pretty thin in the value department. Good read and nice hand.

[Michael Davis]

I think his bet on the river is an absolute must. They way his opponent has played the hand is quite consistent with AK or AQ. Many players will stick with these hands to the river and then fold them. It would be catastrophic to lose a checking war to an AK that would have folded here.

-Michael

FWIW, I thought this hand was well-played.

[HUSKER'66]

Well it's unanimous so far.

Well played.

As far as a three bet PF with A/Qo, I think you made a good play with a smooth call. If the flop hits you hard you can build the pot and check raise on the turn. The way this hand played out, I think you actually made more money than you would have with a 3 bet PF.

Husker

[Eihli]

at first i didn't like it, but i never like it when overcards miss, and on further inspection i think it was played as good as could be.

[StellarWind]

I would 3-bet preflop:

1) I don't think it is too far from being a value bet.

2) Knocking out UTG+2 would be a major accomplishment. If I were certain he would stay I might just call.

3) If Mr. ABC caps then you know where you stand after you miss the flop.

The rest looks good but I think you lost. The river bet is fine. This is a situation where you can bet or check-call. You won't be raised unless he has snowmen. The advantage of betting is that if it goes check-check you'll be sorry.

[Sandwich]

This is definitely not how I play this... but judging by all of the comments from all of the other (probably better poker player than me) posters, I probably play htis wrong.

Here is what I would have done:
I would have called the preflop raise (as Dr. Nick did).
I would have called the cutoff's postflop bet.
I would have checkraised the turn to test whether cutoff is bluffing, then folded to a three bet.
I would have check/folded the turn since I got nothing.

So, does anyone have any comments as to how and why my play would be wrong?

Thanks.