4 handed 20-40

[mike l.]

im against a good player on this hand, but he's also a player who has a read on me as being too loose and trying to run him off his hands with turn raises.

preflop he raises utg, i call in the BB w/ AJo. the flop is QT7. i check, he bets, i call.

the turn is an A. i check, he bets, i raise, he calls.

the river is a Q. i check, he bets, i call.

comments?

[Ikke]

I would often 3-bet with this hand in the BB in a 4-handed game, if this often allows to win the pot on the flop, and UTG isnt a too tight raiser. But your image was a loose aggressive one, so a call might be preferable.

Check-calling the flop is fine. You have too good a hand to give up, and with this coordinated board and cards in the playing zone you're not likely to win the pot here.

Check-raising the turn is also a good play. It goes with the flow of the hand, and ofcourse most important, your hand is most likely best. You also have some outs if not.

River play is fine as well. You dont want to get raised, you might induce a bluff, he might "value bet" a weaker ace, and he most likely wouldnt have paid you off with less than an ace.

Well played.

Regards

I would tend to 3 bet AJ in a 4 handed game. If not, I may even make a play at the pot by check raising the flop and leading the turn. I would like to take control of the betting if at all possible even if you are called you are likely to have plenty of outs (an ace, a king, maybe a jack) you may be ahead since most players raising standards are much looser in this situation. But given your previous play pre flop and and flop, check-raising the turn and leading the river is your best play im my opinion. Once you are called on the turn you know your opponent has something but that doesn't mean AK or a Q. You can fold to raise on the river because with your heavy betting, nothing he would raise is going to be worse than your hand. But with an Ace and a kicker that plays I still like your hand collect the $40 American. I do see the argument for check calling the river though.

[mike l.]

im angry at myself for not checkraising the river (i could fold to a 3 bet cause that would mean Q). full house is unlikely because set wouldve 3 bet the turn. so my fear of the other two Qs is silly. he obviously has a weaker ace and i shouldve punished him by checkraising him on the river. he wouldve had to have paid me off given his image of me.