[LetsRock]

I play mostly low level limit. I'm comfortable with the "low risk" of limit and have the patience to handle the grind. I play in a weekly home game, where we play low stakes ($25 buy-in) NL poker. I enjoy the NL game, but havn't developed the "heart" for it yet, but I'm working on it. On to the situation.

I know there's no way that anyone can give me a definitve answer but I'd like to hear some opinions. This hand has been bugging me to death for a couple of weeks now.

The cast:
UTG:Very experienced player who is a bit on the loose side (I'd classify him as "playful") and very aggressive. This game is well below his normal stakes and approaches it with a bit of abandon. He's very sharp and will shove 'em in at any time. He likes to gamble a bit. I'd say he's probably a Brunson student.

CO: Me. I'm a solid player. I play a little too tight and a little too passive. I'm not a rock, but I'm sure not real aggressive most of the time (but I'm working on it). I've played with UTG enough to believe that he has (too good of) a read on me. He knows I'll laydown a decent hand with enough pressure but he also knows that I'll play back if I have a real good hand.

The hand. UTG raises (5x the blind, which has been a pretty consistent raise throughout the night. A couple of others call, I call with A5s. (I like the flush angle and I have position.) There's 4 or 5 to the flop.

Flop: AQ7r

UTG Bets 10x Blind. A pretty standard opening bet - strong but not intimidating. Others fold and I raise to 20x (double his bet) anouncing my Ace. everyone folds to UTG who shoves them in - about 3/4 of a buy in (about 5x the pot). I have him covered with a little to spare, but I'd be pretty crippled if I called and lost.

After thinking about it, I determined that I got the answer I wanted from my raise and let him have it. It wasn't a huge pot, but it has been bugging me ever since.

Facts: If he has a big Ace or a set I'm way behind. If he has KK or smaller pair, I'm a little ahead. That's why I folded.

After a couple weeks of stewing about it, I realized that it could have been a different "game": All-in means A) I want you out of this pot right now or B) I want all of your money now.

Given his ability to read me well (at least I think he has me booked) and his gambler's tendencies I'm begining to think he was scaring me off the pot. I made a very weak raise on the flop (a very typical limit move) and he decided to put some pressure on me.

If he had a real strong hand (AA, AQ, set), I'm thinking he would have waited for the turn to really get me commited to the pot if he wanted a call. Since he knew that I would lay down a decent hand, he played me out of the pot.

I don't know for sure and this exact situation is what makes me uncomfortable about NL, it usually comes down to a couple of big decisions a night and if I guess wrong, it's real expensive. In limit, these kinds of decisions adds up to just a few bets if I'm right or wrong.

Like I said, it's hard for you to help, but I'd sure like to hear your thoughts on my thinking with this hand. (I know the A5s call is a little loose, but I like to defend this type of hand for a small raise when I have position.) My main concern is the flop play.