[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't want to muck AQ and I think 3-betting makes it easier to play from the flop on.

... flop ... cold call

I think I may be ahead, and if not, I have 5 outs to two pair or better and I'm getting 8:1.

... turn ... call

Same thing, and I'm getting almost 12:1 now.

... river ... call

The pot's big, I can't fold for one bet.


[/ QUOTE ]

Look at this progression. By easier to play after the flop, do you mean easier to play passively? I don't like your line at all. I would have mucked because of the raise and the cold call (but I end up in slightly tighter games). I'll wait until I get a read before I play along here.

If you think you're ahead on the flop, raise it up! (I question this evaluation - you could easily be facing KJ from UTG+1) You've got position, and if it gets capped, you can re-evaluate on the turn.

But since you didn't 3-bet the flop, and it's the "same thing" on the turn, you should raise here. You want to get this heads up now to increase your equity. Your hand, if it happens to be best, is very vulnerable. You want to drive out those other players so that you have more 'safe' cards (there's less of a chance for someone to back into a second pair if there are fewer people in the pot).

And if you've gone this far, you've got to call the river and see UTG+1's KJo(?).