AK hand

[swolfe]

I don't have the hand history, so here it is as best I can rememeber.

PP $200PL ($1/$2)

UTG ($200) limps, I'm in UTG+1 ($250) with AKo and make it $9 to go. Folded around to UTG, who calls.

Flop ($21) AJ7 rainbow

UTG leads into me for a pot sized bet, I call

Turn (~$60) K

UTG checks, I check

River X

UTG bets the pot, I call

EDIT: forgot reads. UTG is pretty rockish. 15/3, Agg of 1.4

I was caught raising preflop with 74s and betting a scare card a couple hands before, but if Villain is paying at all attention he would know that i'm still pretty tight from EP.

Discuss...

[TrailofTears]

I don't mind the river call, but I think raising is fine as well, since I am pretty sure you are ahead, and you checked behind nicely on the turn when you made top two.

-Trail

[rikz]

Why not raise the flop? With ~$42 in the pot now, why not make it $50 or $60 to go. You can then check the turn and call any small-to-mid range river bet. If villain reraises the flop all-in, then give him credit for AJ or 77 and fold.

I don't like calling just because you set yourself up for another big call on the turn with no further information. Preflop, you were playing for TPTK. You hit your TPTK. So, you're either way ahead, in which case villain will fold to your raise, or way behind - and it's cheaper to find out now than on the turn.

Anyone else raise instead of call the flop?

[swolfe]

i was fairly sure i was ahead too, but this was one of those guys that primarily plays for sets. he could have been trying to check-raise me on the turn.

the K didn't really help me based on the range of hands i thought he had (basically an unimproved pocket pair 8 or better or a set), so i didn't want to bet and give him a chance to push me off my hand.

i checked the turn with the intention of calling any bet to allow the unimproved pair to continue bluffing and limit my loss to a set.

[swolfe]

[ QUOTE ]
So, you're either way ahead, in which case villain will fold to your raise, or way behind - and it's cheaper to find out now than on the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]

if i'm way ahead, why would i want to raise and stop them from trying to bluff at me?

i think a lot of people make the mistake of raising in the way ahead/way behind situation.

[swolfe]

villain had TT and MHIG

on the river, i thought i was good often enough to call, but not enough to raise.

any other thoughts?

[Jester999]

I like the way you played it. I think the 'way ahead or way behind' mentality is correct here. I think the previous hand you mentioned before is VERY important. In lower limits people tend to play each hand as if it exists in it's own world. At higher limits, you can see people putting together logical responses based on how you played a series of hands.

Also, I think that most people learning this game have the 'be aggressive' mentality pounded into their heads. You can play off this mentality by taking exactly the line you took.

And from the 'For what's it's worth' category, I've put a couple of hands up here that I've played in a similar fashion and the replies have all been, 'You need to lead!', You HAVE TO BET!', and 'RAISE!'. I've sent these same hands to my coach (yes I hired a coach to see what it was like) and his replies were, 'You played this hand very well'.

[swolfe]

cool, has the coaching thing been valuable? i've never even considered it...

the aggression mentality is one of the reasons i posted this hand. there are times when it is more appropriate to call instead of answering aggression with aggression. if i had bet or raised, i doubt i would have made as much from TT as i did. and i would have ended up losing quite a bit if he had JJ instead of TT.

[Jester999]

You know it's been interesting so far. I use Bob Ciaffone. He's very direct and doesn't suffer fools gladly. But I will tell you it's nice to get comments on hands from someone I really respect. As I've said, I've posted two hands up here where not one person said I played it well and he did. As a matter of fact, the first one I posted, people on this site were flabbergasted by my play including some of the more frequent posters in this forum.

I believe in aggression and actually think I'm a bit hyper post flop. Depending on what kind of NL game I'm playing (6max or full ring) I usually have Pokertracker aggression stats of anywhere from 2.5 to 7 and sometimes higher. If I'm in the hand then I'm betting or raising.

As I've read the higher limit forum and separated out the better posters (ML4L, Matt Flynn, fsuplayer, turnipmonster, and El Diablo), I'm shocked by how often lines like this are advocated. There was a hand posted here a few days ago on this forum where a guy had AA with postion against a LAG and he played it pretty passively. People thought he was crazy but I agreed with his play. I meant to dig it up and post my comments, but I was too lazy. I might try and do it though.

[BobboFitos]

i understand what you're saying, jester. but keep in mind ciaffone probably isn't used to the SSNL mentality. In this particular hand I am so-so on the turn check; alot of PP players 200 and down (and 400, too) will call a turnbet with a weak ace you have drwing dead. And on a drawless board (albeit gutshots) it's much easier to bet the turn and check behind the river. (And fold to a c/r, unless they would c/r bluff)

Another thing is I woul hate a broadway, (3 broadways up there) so I really am leaning to betting half pot on the turn.

nh anyways, and i understand what youre saying about ciaffone, but I dont necessarily agree OP's line is optimal. although it's good.