50-100 Stop and Go

[Benman]

Just curious why you didn't check raise the turn, rather than check call as you did. If you check raise, and your opponent calls, do you still think you're the favorite? I would say so. Not by a lot, because he could have a better ace, but he could also have a worse A, or more likely, a big pair and he's trying to represent that he paired aces.
Another way of looking at it, the turn "made" your hand. If your're not willing to raise with the kind of board you are looking for with AJ, why play it in the first place?

[Munga30]

[Benman]

Ikke,

You make some interesting observations here. I disagree that betting the turn is the best play. The problem is I think I'm a favorite when the ace hits, and I don't fear a free river card that much because of the nature of the board. Therefore, my strategy when I'm first to act on the turn is simply, how do I extract as much money from this guy, who prob. has a smaller pair, or perhaps a worse Ace (I would have raised UTG 4-handed with any suited Ace, for example)? Betting just runs the risk of getting a fold. Put yourself in the shoes of 66 here. I was bet into on the flop with one overcard. Now a second overcard hits. Why call again? This was the time to fold (by the way, raising the flop was better than calling, as another poster suggested). Therefore checking the turn was the best play, with the intention of check-raising. If Ikke is right that he may check behind me, which I agree he might, then again I don't fear the free card that much, and I'll just bet on the river. It's more likely that I'll get called on the river by 66 trying to snap off a bluff. This option, combined with the check-raise on the turn if the option is presented to me, seems better overall than simply betting the turn and getting no more money out of an opponent that folds.

[Gabe]

I believe this is the right way to play the hand. You could also just call before the flop and CR the flop. As far as the turn and river go, the only reason not to play it like this is to avoid predictability.

[PokerPrince]

There are a few reasons I reraised here. In short handed poker, the value of big Aces and pairs goes up signifigantly. I reraised because I felt my hand was more than likely the best but not so good as to simply call for deception. I also wanted betting initiative on the flop. Two of the guys that were playing were much older than myself and my friend that were playing so they liked to bully us around. I would frequently reraise them from my blinds to show that it will cost them if they'de like to try and take them. After an hour of that they actually began limping instead of raising my blinds! A reraise can be a powerful thing, even out of position.

PokerPrince

[PokerPrince]

Why checkraise, and possibly lose a heavy underdog hand that may call my river bet? By checking here, I'm saying, 'I don't like that ace' and it gives a player with an underpair initiative to try and bet at the scarecard. I also SAVE money against an AK or AQ by playing it this way as I would likely get reraise if I checkraised. There's so much more to poker than just going, "I have a strong hand, I bet, I raise." You want to try and squeeze the most you have out your opposition even if it means playing a hand in a passive manner.

PokerPrince

[PokerPrince]

On the contrary, I found my play to be rather unpredictable.

PokerPrince

[PokerPrince]

I don't recall mentioning that my opponent was a 'good' player in my post. Not even close to all high limit players are good.

PokerPrince

[Gabe]

[ QUOTE ]
On the contrary, I found my play to be rather unpredictable.

[/ QUOTE ]
I didn't mean to imply that it was. I just think that the way you played the the turn and the river should be the default play.

[J_V]

your play in this hand doesn't cut the mustard. Ikke is right. You chose a cop out plan. Not ideal, top of the line play. Stop and go in this manner is rarely correct. It's usually a sign of not knowing where you or not having enough information to make the "right" play, whatever that may be. Not to say we aren't all guilty of it. You should have more answers to your questions about what your opponent is likely to have in these spots. Obviously you attain that information from past play and this may not always be possible. But for optimal results it is necessary.

One could me a decision (a correct one) based on the assumption that your opponent has a hand between 23o and AA. That doesn't exactly fly though.