Did I do the right thing here?

[Baatzu]

First I appologize because I don't have the hand history so it will be by memory which is scetchy at best.

PokerStars NLHE STT $5.50 entry.
Blinds 100/200

Table is 6 handed.
I was MP with about 3000
Short stack was button with about 535
BB was about 3000 as well.

I was dealth AKo
UTG folds
Hero raises to 600
CO folds
Button goes all in (535)
SB folds
BB calls 600

Flop is Axx all diamonds
BB checks
I figure i can check here and maybe check to river with BB to just try to get short stack out or bet to see if BB made the flush or if I'm good with top pair.
I bet 600
BB folds

Heads up with short stack who turns over Qc 3d.
Turn is a diamond and river is a diamond.
The best hand is on the board so I take side pot and we split main. So i gained a few chips and short stack is where he started.

BB asks me why I bet him out of pot because he would have taken ss out with his Qd. I said I was sorry and left it at that. Was I a jerk for betting this pot. I think when BB made the Q flush on the turn he would have bet me out of the pot but I may be wrong he may have just checked it down, I don't know. Did I play this correctly or was I an ass?

The only reason I ask is because I'm fairly new to poker and I know it is correct and ethical sometimes to check down in this situation to eliminate a short stack. Thanks for any input.

Baatzu

[Unarmed]

You underbet the flop but other than that its fine. Generally, don't ever check something down with what you figure is the best hand unless you're near or in the money, and even then I rarely do so.

[lorinda]

If the all-in guy hadn't had a diamond, you would have got the winning hand to fold and scooped a nice pot.

It is never ethical to check down, and it could even be argued that it is collusion, however it is sometimes wise and there is nothing wrong with doing something wise.
This is not one of those occasions when it is wise as you have given yourself a chance of winning a very nice pot.

Lori

[Rasputin]

Just remember you're not in it to make friends, you're in it to make money.

Making money means trying to win, not trying to make the top two.

Knocking him out of the pot meant you had a better chance to win it so it was the right thing to do.

Think about it, if you let him stick in the pot, maybe he wins it to take a 4200-2400 lead over you. If you push him out of the pot, that can't happen and maybe you can take a 4200-2400 lead over him.

[Baatzu]

Thank you for the replys. I thought I did the right thing but wasn't a hundred percent sure.

Baatzu

[microbet]

As Lorinda said, it is the checking it down that is questionable.

It is one thing to silently do it when it is to your advantage, but it is certainly collusion to chat with the other person and decide to do it.

I may be wrong here, but I don't worry about knocking people out ('cept getting myself knocked out). I just do whatever I think will get me or save me the most chips.

[Baatzu]

I'm sorry maybe I made it sound like we spoke about this while the hand was going on. We did not. I simply bet and when the hand was over is when BB questioned my bet. I would never disscuss checking a hand down during a hand. I was simply unsure if this was a case where it may be correct to do so to have better odds of eliminating a short stack at the table.

Baatzu

[sofere]

I think it would be wrong to bluff at the pot when there is an all-in and an empty sidepot, but I think its just as wrong to not bet when you have a good hand against a drawing flop.

Otherwise, your not gonna bet unless you have the absolute nuts, and thats not smart. He's just mad cause you didn't do what would've been best for him.

He probably would have said the same thing if you had JTd.

[grickey]

The only time I would check this hand down is on the bubble in a satellite ,with all prizes being the same.BB is complaining but he more than likely bets the turn if you don't bet him out.