AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

I haven't played 6-max in awhile, so I think I'm botching some basic pre-flop plays... in full-ring, I probably fold this. 5-handed, I think this should just be a call pre-flop, right?

What about the flop C/R? My thinking here is that he's either got me beat with an overpair or 2 overcards, so I'm not afraid of him folding if I'm ahead. I may have him reverse dominated even, so I raise for value here.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is SB with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, Hero calls.

Flop: (9 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (7.50 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (9.50 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

Once he caps pre-glop I c/c the entire way down. Pre-glop is alright I think.

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

I'd say if you're playing pf it should be with a raise, as per the standard anti-giving-BB-5:1-on-a-call thing. I'd also 3-bet pf.

Postflop, this seems like a good place for WA/WB? Since you've got the aces reverse dominated, most capping hands apart from AK/AQ[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] are drawing to &lt;=3 outs.

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

UTG has AA-QQ?

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

Yes, they are drawing to less outs, but with WA/WB, you're afraid of those hands folding, right? When someone is holding 2 overcards, I'm not afraid of them folding before the river, so I think I can value raise if I believe I'm ahead about 2/3 of the time (accounting for the fact that I'll face a 3-bet if I'm behind).

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

This is good. Not 3-betting preflop with the BB still in is terrible. The range on a Button+2 opening is very large.

The flop checkraise is also good. AK/AQ is 24 possible hands while an overpair is only 16 hands. Now throw in all the times where Villain capped with a weaker hand because 1) your 3-bet range is very wide or 2) he wanted to intimidate you.

It might be a problem if Villain could get away from a big ace after you checkraise but he rarely does. He thinks he has outs and he's afraid you are stealing from him. AK is likely to call you all the way down which is an extra 1.5 BB for you versus playing check-call, check-call, check-check.

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, they are drawing to less outs, but with WA/WB, you're afraid of those hands folding, right? When someone is holding 2 overcards, I'm not afraid of them folding before the river, so I think I can value raise if I believe I'm ahead about 2/3 of the time (accounting for the fact that I'll face a 3-bet if I'm behind).

[/ QUOTE ]

But you are afraid of folding 99/TT, depending on the type of player he is. Plus your 2/3 calculation disregards the fact that if we call/call/call, he may value-bet/crying-call AK UI on the river, making us 2SBs that won't get if we show previous aggression.

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

I think c/r the flop would be aggressive enough that the villian might start to think that the OP may even have an overpair. I think he might be able to fold unimproved on the turn against a flop c/r.

What's wrong with the check/call,check/call,bet line here?

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

Looks good to me.

Re: AJs in SB vs. unknown UTG raise
 

[ QUOTE ]
What's wrong with the check/call,check/call,bet line here?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nothing's wrong but I think a flop C/R gets more value because overcards aren't folding until the river. No way AK or AQ folds this hand until he's got no more cards left to draw. And he may even call a river bet unimproved, not willing to part from his big cards.