I lost big with AQo

10-20 holdem AC. I have AQo in the BB. Apparently solid young player open raises in MP and it's folded to me. This guy has only played a round; he raised once in LP, bet a rag flop, and took it down without showing. I 3-bet, he calls. Flop A-K-10 no suits. I bet, he raises, I 3-bet, he calls. Turn rag, I bet, he calls. River rag, I check, he bets, I call. He has AKs. Did I misplay this hand?

[Mike Gallo]

I would have have called the raise preflop and then check called it down.

Read my post on AQ.

I see no reason to reraise pre-flop.

When you do reraise pre-flop, think about the hand you are representing. It is a hand better than AQ. Your opponent is not raising you on the flop with AJ, is he? Once you are raised on the flop, you need to slow way down and consider folding the turn. Your hand is now very weak given the board and betting action.

Had you just called preflop, you again have just a payoff hand with this board. The good news is the whole experience is cheaper this way, and you can catch him with a bad kicker or a bluff sometimes. BUT YOU HAVE TO LET HIM KEEP BLUFFING TO MAKE THIS PROFITABLE. There are few free cards that can hurt you, which is why AQ is a desirable hand. Use this fact to trap your opponent or save yourself some bets.

If you are not very experienced at reading when your marginal hand is likely not best and/or should be slowplayed, there's nothing wrong with folding the AQ out of position to someone unknown who seems to play reasonably. This can save you a lot of $.

Better luck.

[adios]

If rags flop you have the initiative so I don't see where a three bet is necessarily bad pre-flop in this heads up situation. On the river, IMO you have to ask yourself what hands will your opponent bet after you check and what hands will your opponent call with if you bet. In a nutshell if your opponent will check behind you with AJ but call with it if you bet I think a bet is better than a check and call.