Did I play this AQ right?

[SteveY]

Hi I've been reading the 2+2 forums for a little bit (I found it about 2 weeks ago). I found a hand that bothers me and was wondering if you guys could critiuqe my play.

PokerStars 0.02/0.04 Hold'em (7 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (14 SB) T/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(7 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

The pot got huge b/c of my preflop raise, so I wanted to be aggressive and fold some people, giving me a better chance to win, even if I might be behind. I was thinking along the lines of one of Ed Miller's posts about being more aggressive in big pots. Right now I think I have 10 outs (3 Aces, 3 Queens, 4 Kings).

Turn: (12 BB) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, MP2 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB folds, UTG calls, MP1 calls.

I hit one of my outs, so I raised.

River: (18 BB) Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, UTG folds, <font color="CC3333">MP1 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

MP1's betting pattern has been really weird, but I raised again with trip Q's anyway. The reraise makes me think he's been smoothcalling some bets in the early rounds (set?).

Final Pot: 24 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 24 BB, between MP1 and Hero.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by MP1 (24 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
MP1 shows 9s 8c (straight, queen high).
Hero shows As Qd (three of a kind, queens).
Outcome: MP1 wins 24 BB. </font>

Did I make a mistake anywhere?

[bisonbison]

I think he smoothcalled the turn cause he put you on AK. Then he changed his mind or something.

[afk]

I think you played this well. I probably would have played it the same way.

[SnakeRat]

I would have played it the same. Your ace and queen outs are somewhat dubious however so make sure you consider that.

[SteveY]

Is there any easy way to figure out whether your overcard outs are clean? Or do you just have to hit it and then see what the action looks like.

[Ed Miller]

Is there any easy way to figure out whether your overcard outs are clean? Or do you just have to hit it and then see what the action looks like.

Well, you can take clues from the nature of the board and from the action. That is, the more coordinated the board, the less likely your overcard outs are to be good. And the action can also help you tell if your overcards will be good. But the pot is big enough here that you really aren't folding on the flop almost no matter what.

You played this hand well. The flop and turn raises are not obvious, but they are important and correct. For a first post, you made a good one. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[SnakeRat]

On this specific board the Q makes a 3 straight which is a bit worrisome, and could also help somebody with something like QJ.

As for the Ace somebody could hold AJ, A10, maybe A4, or KQ. So there are a lot of ways your outs could be tainted.

No easy way to determine if these hands are out there sadly.


Having said that you played it perfectly.