Playing AK when the flop misses
 

How's it going...I guess I"l start with a hand - 1/2 at paradise. I'm on the button with AKo, one to my right open raises, I three bet, blinds fold and raiser calls.

Flop comes 7TJ rainbow - he checks, I bet, he calls.
Turn is a 9 - he checks again, I bet he calls
River is a 6 - he checks, I check behind.

He turns over A7o to win the pot.

Now, against most of the softer players at the lower limit games, do I keep ramming this or do I check it down and limit my losses? On one hand, heads up, the pot's pretty small and throwing in two big bets against a calling station who may have a pair won't win you much. On another hand, I want to play more aggressively.

opinions? Thanks in advance

Re: Playing AK when the flop misses
 

You want to congratulate the player on his hand and try to act sincere about it. Seriously though, you want this player at the table. Anyone who'll hang around calling until the river w/ bottom pair no kicker is probably someone who'll pay you off the majority of the time. Just think if you had an overpair, or even a middling pair like 88, he would have paid you off. Keep betting out, it's clear he'll call with a weak hand to the bitter end. Sometimes he'll hit with crap like A7 and you'll pay him off, but in the long run, you're going to own this player.

Re: Playing AK when the flop misses
 

Are you saying that you would have folded A7 after the flop in this hand?