Easy?

Late middle player raised and I re-raised with AJs in the cut-off. The button capped it at 4 bets (not a good player, but not a light raiser. In fact, I feel AA or KK is all but a given).


Flop= AQJr.


Middle player bets, I raise, button re-raises, middle calls two cold, I call.


Turn= Q. Middle player checks.


I can check and fold here with ease, right? How about the flop?

It would appear that you are beaten by the button no matter if he has AK, AA, KK, QQ, AQ, KQ, or JJ.


The real question is what the hell were you doing playing a piece of cheese like AJ, then raising with it and then calling a reraise preflop? Your preflop play is terrible here.

Really? Late player open raises from what has become definite semi-steal territory and AJs is unplayable? I'm not one to play AJ for many raises, but this player's range of hands from this spot definitely leaves AJs playable IMO-


I might be persuaded to agree with you on folding for the re-raise on the flop, but I thought the pot was big enough to take one off in case he had AK.

Kevin,


Nothing wrong with your three-bet and call preflop. Fold is probably correct on the turn, if as you say, this player won't cap preflop easily. If he's the type to three-bet the flop w/ KK, which doesn't beat you as the Pro above said, trying for free turn, which he might not take anyway, then maybe call down sometimes, or call the turn to see if he bets the river(randomizing?).


Mike

"The real question is what the hell were you doing playing a piece of cheese like AJ, then raising with it and then calling a reraise preflop? Your preflop play is terrible here."


I have to say, I have not recently seen advise on this forum with which I so strongly disagree. Perhaps you did not notice that it was AJs, which is a strong hand. I'd rather play this hand heads up against a possible steal raiser, so the reraise is correct. Once the hand is capped, the player is getting 12.5:1 to call the last raise. He'd have to be a fool to muck AJs now.


BTW, I'd muck on the turn.

It looks to me like you played the hand just fine. Reraising the possible stealer with AJs preflop is pretty routine, as is raising your two pair on the flop. Calling the last bet on the flop or going to the river is mostly a function of how likely you think the button would be to play an AK that aggressively. If his chances of holding AK are small, then you are pretty well screwed and should be looking to save your chips for a better situation. There is also the middle position player to consider, who rates to have at least an ace (killing one of your best outs), a better hand with AQ QQ JJ, or just a gutshot with AK KQ. All in all, I would say it's an easy fold on the turn since you say the button doesn't get out of line much (which rules out AK), and getting 21:1 to call the last bet on the flop means if it's wrong, it can't be wrong by much.

You are screwed on the turn. Perhaps and I may be overly optimistic you may have had the lead on the flop, but on the turn

I would fold if the button bets. Preflop three betting with AJ

suited or even unsuited is at least for me a pretty

routine play. On the flop when the fellow on my right bets I

would raise almost 100% of the time. The buttons' three bet certainly suggests that you need help and on the turn you can fold with a pretty clear conscience after getting a brick.


bruce

the only way i could see raising pre-flop with AJs would be if it got to you in the cutoff with no raise (just limpers.) the point of raising then would be to buy the button for better position and to build a pot for your flush draw (the more players that call ahead of you the better.)


re-raising (calling two cold) is definitely terrible, and calling 4 with AJs is just suicide. you're definitely up against a bigger hand already, you're basically banking on the flush.

3-betting a suspected steal raise with AJs is routine.


As for it going to 4 bets.. Well, I certainly didn't like it. But if I'm gainst two big pairs that are not aces, the pot is now big enough to make trying for an ace worth it.