2-5 Live AA - Young Gun Runs Out of Bullets

[MagnoliasFM]

Last weekend I went with my buddies to Casino Moron(go) to play some 2-5NL. I sit down at a typical table containing an assortment of weak-tight "nits," one young gun, and me (I don't consider myself old enough to be called a young gun).

In early position, I pick up my favorite hand, AA. (For those of you keeping track, I have more than 1 favorite hand). I raise to $20 and everyone folds to the young gun (hereafter YG) on the button. YG (~$400) is a stone-faced kid who wears sunglasses and is an absolute alligator (impossible to read his emotions). He's playing super TAG and I haven't seen him show down a hand. YG looks at his cards and calls my raise a split-second later. Because he didn't even pause to think I am inclined to put him on a pair below QQ or two high cards, likely suited, but not AK. Everyone else folds.

Flop comes TsQsQd, with the As being in my hand. I make a pot-sized bet of $45 to declare my hand into this scary board. YG says "raise" and makes it $120 total. I call, which I think may have been a mistake. Against other players I fold here, but I felt there was a good chance YG was betting his small pair because he played extremely aggressively whenever he had position. I was either miles ahead or drawing slim and decided to call and check on the turn.

On the turn the 5d comes off and I check as planned. YG checks behind after 2 seconds, and I realize too late that he must have some sort of draw (straight, flush, pair, or a combination thereof) because I don't think he would've given me a free card with a queen in his hand after I called his raise on the flop.

The river brings the 7h, which couldn't have helped him unless he had 77, and I'm faced with a decision. I could make a fake blocking bet and hope he calls or comes over the top, or I could check and hope he takes a stab. Usually I just make a value bet here and people just look me up with any two cards (never bluff-raising), but YG appears to be knowledgable so I decide to check with the intention of calling. He quickly checks behind and shakes his head, saying "I have 3 pair." I show my bullets and he mucks.

I think this hand was interesting because it involved actual thinking, and I made questionable plays on all streets. I failed to understand my opponent and it cost me. I never would have guessed that he would play T7s against an early position raise from what appeared to be a strong player (I mean really, what are these young guns nowadays thinking?). I'm not used to playing against opponents who are tough to read and who try to outplay me, so I played this hand mostly by feel. I tried to write down some of my thoughts as the hand played out, and I'm hoping some of you veterans out there can give me some advice on whether or not I'm on the right track as far as what I should think about during a hand. Thanks for helping me improve!