Live 2/5-- AJo
 

Borgata 2/5. Game is pretty good, with not a lot of raising, mostly weak spots, and little tricky play.

1 very weak, strange, bad player(300) limps to me, and I limp in late MP with AJo. Player behind me with about 500 calls. SB completes and BB(400) who has lost a few pots and could be steaming a bit(not likely to dump his whole stack off with nothing, but could make a weak bad call now) checks. I covered all

Flop is Jd9c5d and I have AJ no diamonds. BB leads for $10, early player calls(could be any pair, or draw), and action is on me. What should I do?

I seem to have a lot of trouble playing one pair hands, in deciding whether or not to a) play on and b) how to play it. If anyone has some good guidelines, that would be great. I think in this case the chance that I am ahead is fairly good, but I am unsure how to play it. Do I need to wait for a safe card on such a draw heavy board before committing more chips? I know that if I had a hand like JTs in this spot, any raise would be half bluff/half value, as I may not be ahead, and could knock someone off a better(or the same) jack.

Anyways, I raised to $45 total, and they both called. The pot was around $150, and the turn was a 6. They check to me, and I bet $100. I don't think I bet enough in retrospect, but should I move in in that spot to shut out the draws? I thought if I were raised on the turn, I was likely against 2 flopped pair from the BB, and could fold. Would I have been better off waiting for a blank turn to make any move at all?

Thanks for your help.
Jason

Re: Live 2/5-- AJo
 

pretty much wantto raise this flop, ifBB 3bets it's a routine fold. You really want to take the lead.

I would alway raise this up preflop,though, especially to isolate a bad player. AJ high is great in position vs a shortstacked fish. Now you have a multiway pot when BB isshowing a little interest and the pot is small, but you need to fight for it.

Your raise (to 45) was too small. The time to get money in is now - your raise wasnt bad but it wasn't enough.

Given they both called it's time to put them on hands. UNfortunately, BB leadin otu small ccould easily be a weak or marginaldraw, and since your raise on the flop was small, he's correct in peeling light there. Fish, once other guy calls, is looking at a big pot, but you pretty much want him in. (But you should want him in for a higher price, if you get my drift)

You're probably ahead here, it's possible BB is going to c/r all in with two pair, but your hand is vulnerable and now you get to overplay tptk in a limped pot. So bet 140, get all in with fish, hope that BB calls and checks river with like KJ or the like.

BTW, your stack size is important, I assumed you covered all.

edit: By the way, that turn card is one of the best that could fall. It didnt help anyone, at all, so if you were ahead on the flop (probably, but not definitive) you're still ahead now. People may say tocheck this turn, but thats a mistake w/ 2 opponents.

Re: Live 2/5-- AJo
 

I like the way you played it. I rasie that flop 100% of the time to see where I'm at in the hand, as well as charge any draws to play along.

I like making a good size bet on the turn, maybe closer to a pot size bet is better. As played, any draw is getting 2.5 - 1 on their money to call, so they may come along.

Re: Live 2/5-- AJo
 

if there is a lack of raising at this table, why not raise it preflop?