Another tough hand

[Vazh]

I've only been at the table for 1 orbit so no read on the opponent. I've been looking it over but I'm still not sure how I should have played it.

Poker Stars $2/$4 (5 handed)
Hero has Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and is BB

UTG folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB raises, Hero 3-bets, SB caps, Hero calls

Flop: J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls

Turn: [J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

SB bets, Hero calls

River: [J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB checks, Hero checks


Upon reflection:

My first thought was I could have just called the pre flop raise and then I could call the flop bet or quietly fold the flop. But AQs is pretty strong HU so I don't like that.

Second thought was I could have just called the flop bet. I'm reasonably sure I'm either ahead or very close, so I don't like to fold. I think a raise will slow him down and maybe I can get to the river free. But that didn't work. I'm not ready to concede to a J yet, so I call.

Turn is no help, so I could think about folding here, but the pot's pretty big and I still think there's a decent chance all 10 of my outs are good. So I think for awhile and call.

Not sure why he checked the river, but I didn't feel like throwing more money at the pot.

[lil']

I'm reasonably sure I'm either ahead or very close, so I don't like to fold.
With the absence of any reads, I really don't see how you can be so confident in this.

[Vazh]

Could he have aces? Sure, but he could also be stealing with any A or K or many worse hands, so I'm not ready to fold the tent to the flop bet. If I'm behind to a small pocket pair then I've still got 10 clean outs.

The other way I can see playing this (and maybe the better way) is to call the flop bet and fold to the turn bet.

[naphand]

I might play it the same way. I certainly do NOT think you should be folding this once you get to the Turn. That could just be a flush draw he is pumelling with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]x. With no reads on this guy, I would like to see the showdown.

He could be betting any pair or any A as you say, and you do have a pretty good A. His cap PF is scary, and the 3-bet on the flop also looks strong but with 13 SB in the pot I would probably call this down like you did. If he flops over A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K then so be it.

With his River check, it sure looks like A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K or two good hearts, unless he is playing some Ulysses-style bluff-inducement on the River (thinking you have a busted draw).

If I was to play it different, I might just call the raise PF and throw it back at him on the flop regardless. He is more likely to respect your flop raise then.

I have a similar problem, in that I automatically assume that when it gets HU the other player is going to be very aggressive as well, whereas frequently they are still only raising/3-betting only the very best hands.

A slightly different hand I played yesterday (roles reversed) went:

Folded to me OTB with Q8o - so I try to steal raise.
3-bet by SB and BB folds, I call.
Flop comes AQ8. Bet, raise, 3-bet, cap.
Turn rag. SB bets out and I pause for a moment and call down.
SB flips over AA.

OK the Q8o steal-raise was cheeky, but I hit a flop very hard and I put him on A obviously. But his continued aggression on the Turn made me just think he had to have a kickered A or possibly even AA. With no read on the guy I just called down. I felt OK about it, this guy turned out to be really passive except with the nuts (or nearly so), so it would have been a mistake to read aggression as always a result of HU play. Sometime you really are up against it.

That said, when I am out of a hand I really WANT the other guys to call down the aggressor, as even just one or two hands like this at showdown can provide you with valuable information early on in the game. In this hand you had to pay for that information, there are few hands you are ahead of unless he is really pushing hard with Axs. I don't think you mis-played this hand badly, but perhaps early in a game with no reads, a slightly more cautious approach will save you paying too out too much to learn SB only caps with the nuts. He knows you cannot be pushed around now though.

[Gazza]

Assuming the Sb is not completely messing around pre flop then you are in bad shape once the flop comes. It is unlikely that he has a worse hand than you (KQ, Axs I suppose). But you still probably have quite a few outs (he could easily have a small-medium pp for example) so you can't fold. I think I would play it like you or maybe just call him down all the way. I wouldn't like it but as Naphand says you definitely want to see what he has capped the pre flop betting on. Also you got to let them know that you are not easily bullied. You are probably going to lose without improvement but it is an investment for the future.