Smooth call the flop?

[veganmav]

UTG is maniac, raising 45% of his hands this session. Very LAG!. 42/14/1.7

SB is OK with 17/9/1.9

Party Poker 15/30 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG calls.

Flop: (10 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Hero..?

This is what I'm thinking.
I'm very probably ahead here, and my two opponents are very probably drawing very slim. I strongly feel that the SB is going to fold, and UTG is LAG and will bet out the turn as another bluff. My main question is isn't it better to go into check-call here. Let him keep bluffing his chips away to me as he's drawing very slim. I could even check call flop, check call turn, and pop the river, or bet it if he checks it.

[Dominic]

what's the SB calling standards pre-flop? What happens if you call the flop and he raises?

I like your strategy HU against the maniac, and I would like it somewhat if you flopped J-high...but for all you know, the SB has AQ...chances are he doesn't, but I want to raise the flop and get him out - the pot is big enough without him and you know you're going to get action from the maniac. Hell, you may even get the SB to fold AQ here.

[veganmav]

dcifr or BK do you guys have anything to say about this hand? [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[veganmav]

[ QUOTE ]
decifr or BK do you guys have anything to say about this hand? [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

datyn? james? ggbman?

[bicyclekick]

I do'nt know. I'm on the fence so far. Raising is probably best but one can make an arguement for calling too. The pot is huge, try to win it I guess?

[tongni]

I'd probably call and then pop the river, or maybe the turn. The board is paired, only runner runner can really hurt you. If the SB has an ace he will go nowhere.

[mc1023]

raise it

[kerrizor]

This is one of those situations I'm still trying to get a handle on. If I didn't know:

[ QUOTE ]
UTG is maniac, raising 45% of his hands this session. Very LAG!. 42/14/1.7

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm more likely to raise the flop to see where I am, after selling it a little bit with some thinking-think. Since he /is/ a maniac, I probably check-call and bet when checked to (depending, of course, on how the board develops..) Its probably not the most profitable line, but I play more live than online, and its the sort of hand I want to use to show the guy I'm not backing down from his craziness - he'll often ratchet it up, and I can frustrate him by not giving in to his crazy spewing.

[kerrizor]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd probably call and then pop the river, or maybe the turn. The board is paired, only runner runner can really hurt you. If the SB has an ace he will go nowhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not raise it now when its cheap to try to get the mo back and/or define which "A" UTG claims to have here?

[TimM]

This is another one of mine. I didn't think the flop was that interesting, because of the fact that it can go either way. I guess with it not being heads up, I should lean toward raising, but I fully expected SB to just fold if he had no ace whether I raised or not.

I think the turn is a more important decision:

Party Poker 15.00/30.00 Hold'em <font color="#0000FF">(10 handed)</font> link

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

Flop: (10.00 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Hero calls, SB calls.

Turn: (6.50 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises</font>, UTG folds, Hero [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]