ATs

[Nick Royale]

I'm posting quite a lot hands today since I've been more confused than ever. Villain in this hand is somewhat loose and fairly aggressive (~5% pfr).

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>.

Flop: (7.50 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP1 calls, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises</font>, Hero calls, MP1 folds.
This is a very marginal call...

Turn: (6.25 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (8.25 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>...

I felt he probably check the river if I check and he probably won't raise many hands even if he's ahead. I felt the risk of him raising the turn with a hand that beats me was bigger.

The cons of this play is he could have been playing a draw and check the turn or not calling my river bet if he missed. Also the flop raise/turn bet suggests a strong hand.

What's your line?

[Azhrarn]

Pre-flop is good.

I don't usually check after raising pre-flop against two opponents, but I think check-folding this flop is probably the best line, particularly if your opponenets are the kind of loose players who will peel one off with almost anything. You have reverse domination problems here. And if you hit one of your cards on the turn, you are likely vulnerable to redraws.

Betting out's not bad, you will win the pot with a bet some small percantage of the time. But after a call and a raise, you really have to let this go. This not the sort of flop to chase overcards on.

The turn's okay, although I think betting and folding to a raise is okay too. Depends how likely you think he is to raise with a worse hand. Given your turn check, I think betting and folding to a raise on the river is the way to go, unless he's a frequent bluffer, in which case I would call.