Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

2nd hand at table, and I don't know any of the players at the table (live 2/5 game).

Stack sizes villian ~($700)
Hero ~ ($300)

Villian raises UTG+1 to $20
Someone in early MP calls
I pick up black TT in the CO and make it $75

Sometimes with no read, and a caller I'd just flat call here, but I didn't think MP player was that strong, and thought I'd get this HU's.

UTG+1 (villian) calls. MP player folds.

Flop: Ax, Ah, Th

Villian checks. I think for a little while and then push.

Is there a better line here? My obvious options are bet 1/2 pot to full pot, but what am I gaining by doing this? I could sloooowplay, but I don't see the point. Obviously AK, AQ will likely go with me here, and I may induce another pocket pair to come along who thinks I may be trying to buy the pot by largly over betting. Either I'm getting action here or I'm not.

If you have a better line in this situation, please provide reasons. I'll post results after.

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

Like you said, if he has an ace it doesn't really matter what you do, he'll come along, especially with this being a live game. Nobody's calling here with a pocket pair though.

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Like you said, if he has an ace it doesn't really matter what you do, he'll come along, especially with this being a live game. Nobody's calling here with a pocket pair though.

[/ QUOTE ]

With no reads, it makes it more diffcult for someone to call here, but what if he has KK-JJ? Do most players push here if they have Ax? Perhaps if I had AK and I'm hoping he has the case A w/ Q kicker. Math says that's so much more unlikely though. So is it so inconcievable I'd try and buy the pot with JJ or QQ here? Too balsy?

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

Make a PSB (pot sized bet) on the flop. With two aces on the board many players are thinking that since there are two out there that the chances of you holding one is smaller and that their PP is still good. With a PSB or maybe a little smaller say 3/4 pot, you are likely to get action.

1/2 pot bet is going to smell funny. Either he is going to read this as strong or weak. Where betting pot or nearly pot is going to look more like you do not have an ace, which in deed you dont. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

KK-JJ might be curious, but I don't think they're $300 curious.

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Make a PSB (pot sized bet) on the flop. With two aces on the board many players are thinking that since there are two out there that the chances of you holding one is smaller and that their PP is still good. With a PSB or maybe a little smaller say 3/4 pot, you are likely to get action.

1/2 pot bet is going to smell funny. Either he is going to read this as strong or weak. Where betting pot or nearly pot is going to look more like you do not have an ace, which in deed you dont. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, PSB was my second option. I just don't know if I like it better then a push here. I'm really 50/50 on which one will get more action. I need to get better at these situations though. With no reads, and the fact that I haven't been able to create an image for this guy, it just seems like I'm either getting action or not, so why not just stick it all in now.

So if I PSB, what hands am I getting calls from? Small PP? Large?

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

Bet $100, rest on turn.

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

I like a little less than a PSB on the flop here. You're going to get the same action from aces I think, the only difference is that if you leave yourself enough a PP might try to bluff you off your hand by cr'ing you. I know I like to pressure people that reraise pf when an ace hits because so often a reraise means high pp and they fear the ace. This probably only happens a very small amount of time, but I don't think theres any negatives to it, so why not.

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

I think you are getting all your money in with any ace no matter how you play this hand. So now, I'd focus on how to get other hands to pay you off. Therefore, I'd check the flop. You don't have that much money behind you. So let's say he tries to buy the pot on the turn and bets 100. You can call and have 115 behind you. Now if he checks the river, you're all in is 115 making it 115 to call in a 455 pot, he might call with a wide range of hands cause you've priced him in.

Re: Flopped a boat in live game. What\'s the best flop line?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, PSB was my second option. I just don't know if I like it better then a push here. I'm really 50/50 on which one will get more action. I need to get better at these situations though. With no reads, and the fact that I haven't been able to create an image for this guy, it just seems like I'm either getting action or not, so why not just stick it all in now.

So if I PSB, what hands am I getting calls from? Small PP? Large?

[/ QUOTE ]

A push here is more than likely only being called by someone willing to gamboool with you or has convinced themssevles that their big PP is good or they got married to it.

Lets assume that he is fairly solid. If he has KK-JJ or AK, AQ he would call your RR PF and likely not push. Now he sess AAT. So unless he has AA he knows there is a smaller chance that you have an ace especially with MP being in there PF who he will credit with an ace too. So in his mind you more than likely do not have the ace or AA and his PP is likely good or will think he can hit a K, Q, or J for the boat.

If he raised with AK-AJ then he is slowplaying hopful to trap you with his top set and would check it to you. If he has KK, QQ or JJ then he is going to gage your chances of having an ace by your flop action. A small bet or a push is going to smell like an ace to him more times than not.

The push only opens up the idea in his head that you are making a position steal on a scary board and that his PP is good. If he has the ace he is calling the push. If he has KK-JJ there is less likelyhood of a call. He has to gamboool to call the push with KK-JJ.

But with a PSB or near that size, he has to step back and open up the whole line of thought that you do not have the ace. A small bet smells like an ace, a check smells like an ace. A push kind of smells like an ace. Remember most players like to sloooowplay themselves to death and a check would scream ACE!!!!!!!!!!

If he flat calls the flop bet, you have to push the turn. If he RR the flop, insta call AI.