aces 4 handed for 4 bets

Here's a recent online hand tat I thought could be played a few different ways, and didn't know if my way was the best.


A somewhat loose raiser raises UTG. I am next and 3 bet with AA. The next player cold calls. The BB calls, and UTG caps at 4 bets. I hope the flop has no K or Q...


The flop is K53 rainbow. The BB bets, and UTG calls. This is a little scary to me. But there's a large pot and I want to get rid of a likely pocket pair behind me, so I raise. All 3 opponents call. This is a little surprising.


The turn is a 7. The BB bets again. This looks like a stop-n-go with a set or an AK. UTG call again, I call, and the 4th player calls.


River is a 5. SB bets again. UTG calls, I call, and 4th player folds.


Comments on flop thru river appreciated. I felt like all of these rounds could have been played differently. Thanks in advance.


Dan Z.

I appreciate why you would fear KK on the flop (I would too) but I imagine that you thought that the fellow with the KK was UTG and not BB. This is because UTG was the fellow who capped preflop and if the bb held KK, he may look to get a checkraise in on the flop (although not necessarily).


Now, once the bb just calls your raise on the flop, UTG should 3 bet with KK as he has to be unsure whther you will bet the turn for him i.e., he would know that he is better off just 3 betting the flop and then come out betting on the turn as opposed to laying the trap for the checkraise on the turn.


But UTG did not make it 3 bets. He further did not raise the bb on the turn. At that point, I think that you can quite safely assume that UTG does not have you beat. The bb might but I would take my chances and smoke it again on the turn. Stop 'n go moves are generally designed to test the strength of the flop raiser's hand - these moves are not generally used by the "stop 'n go'er" when he himself has a monster.


BTW, this flop might be a good spot for you to just call on the flop with the intention of raising on the turn. I do note however that the main reason why this is done is to limit the field and in this instance, you only have one player left to cat behind you. If UTG had bet the flop, you would be in prime position to just call on the flop and raise the turn for the reasons given in HFPAP 21st Century edition.

Yes, I was very sure I had the UTG player beat on the turn. I raised the flop in part to get his reaction, in addition to knocking out the TT-QQ behind me, or charging the AK more (not floding, that's for sure). An AK behind me might also 3 bet, which would be fabulous.


But the SB was not bluffing on the turn. I was not sure if I had him beat. With all the heat pre-flop, and everyone staying in, he might very well be testing the waters with a small set or a weird hand like 2 pair. So I thought it best to call.


Since I called on the turn, and we still have not heard from anyone, I thought an AK might bet again on the river, but that it was still likely I was beat. The extra 5 helps my cause, as it makes a set of fives unlikely. It also appears UTG doesn't have AK, so I doubt he can call a raise. I thought the best play was to go for an overcall, as I still thought I trailed the bettor and UTG probably can't call a raise. I also thought my passsive play on the turn and the huge pot made a fold out of the question.


Thanks for the post.


Dan Z.

it looks like bb has AK, maybe just a KQ or KJ. bet the flop to see where he's at. utg just called then you popped it and utg still just call. he woould have 3 bet there. you have utg beat. and you should have bb beat as well. as last poster wrote, stop and go usualy means still testing the waters. doesn't mean big hand. he wants to bet in case you were raising for a free card, he thinks his king may be good. but he's not sure. outside chance he has 2 pair on the turn, but more likely a king. calling the turn isn't that bad since you have only one player behind. if a bunch of poeple were behind it would be a big mistake becuase you give everybody a chance to outdraw you for only one bet when you could put the pressure on. but i still like raising the turn here, the guy behind probably has more outs than anybody else. he's the one you want to get out and make the other guys pay more. bb probably has 5 outs. utg maybe 2( pocket pair). other guy 5 or more probably!

This was another hand where I lucked into the correct play, though I really had a tough decision on each street.


The UTG bettor, true to his nature, made it 4 bets with JJ. He also paid to see the showdown.


The SB has 37s for 2 pair on the turn, which got counterfeited on the river. I guess this bet was a pure bluff.


I win the pot with aces up. After seing their hands, I gathered that no one is calling a river raise, another play I considered.


Thanks for the replies. My plays worked out here, but I probably play it differently next time. thanks for the posts.


Dan Z.