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- - funky funky (http://archives2.twoplustwo.com/showthread.php?t=408347)

Weird spots everywhere in this hand. No reads, Stars 1/2. One of my earlier hands at the table, so I have no image yet.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Hero ($218.45)
MP2 ($142.05)
MP3 ($92)
CO ($83)
Button ($48.40)
SB ($94.40)
BB ($88.50)
UTG ($255.85)
UTG+1 ($200.10)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $2,

First weird spot. One limper, EP, AJo. Raising folding and calling all make me cringe in one way or another. Was really debating raise or call.

Hero calls $2, MP2 calls $2, 3 folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($10) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $8, MP2 folds, SB folds, BB calls $8, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: ($26) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $20, BB raises to $40

What the hell? I mean... I guess he could have QT in a limped pot from the big blind, but lots of other stuff too (A2/KJ/AT/Axh I guess, none of which he'll fold for his last $38). And with only $38 behind, and two double suits on the board playing a river is a bad idea, so I'm either putting him in now or folding...

Hero raises to $80, BB calls $38.50 (All-In).

River: ($184.50) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $184.50

Basically, in these spots I didn't love my options. I still think I like how I played the hand but its really... well, funky.

Thoughts on any/all streets welcome.

Everett

Helps to have reads in a hand like this. I like to raise pf here because AJo doesn't play very well multi-way and most of the time you'll pick up that pot. The disadvantage is that if you hit an ace you're not very happy.
When villian makes his raise on the turn he's got 38.50 left. That means he's committed to the hand, so the question really is do I have the best hand enough times to warrant a call?
How many times is that exactly? You'll have to put in 60 more to see a pot of a little more than 180. 60 for 180, or 3 to 1. (My math could be way off). So you've got to be right 25% of the time for this to be +EV.
Even with those odds I don't call here without reads. What hands play like this that you beat? AK,AJ,AA,KK,JJ,22,Q10,KJ,A2s. That's about it. You're ahead of two of those hands. Alot of those hands raise pf, but still his line of check/call check/miniraise indicates a huge amount of strength especially because he's so pot committed. I let it go pretty fast here.

I really hate these types of hands. No matter what happens, I don't feel like I played it right. So, of course, I'll give advice...

I don't mind calling here. Raising isn't terrible either. Either one works just fine.

Flop looks good.

Now, this is a really ugly board. I'd rather not play a big pot with AJ on this board. So I'd check here. My guess would be you're not against KJ, possibly against AK, although not likely, and quite possibly vs. Q10 or A2 if the guy is terrible. The other option is some sort of draw. Sure, you give a free card to a draw and you're not stacking some total moron, but I'd guess only trouble comes from betting here.

I think you did fine, though folding preflop certainly isn't awful.

Ryan

He doesn't seem to care what you have, he probably has QT.

I can't fold vs his stack size, so I usually ignore my better judgement and push here.

I like your postflop play

Preflop I would raise, but that could just be the 6-max in me talking

I like it all, although of course this is an awkward spot.

PF is a balencing act I'd say. Sometimes I raise here sometimes I call.

Flop and turn both look fine. Then doofy turn miniraise basically is meaningless because of his stack size. I don't see how you can/should get away if you are behind here. A2 is pretty reasonable for him to have.

I fold preflop, but as played, it's fine. I'm putting him in and paying off there, short stacks suck and I rarely fold to a minraise when I have a good hand.