NL scenario question

[pilamsolo]

Here's the scenario:

You are in a NL ring game with 1-2 blinds. You raise PF to $8 with AA and get one caller. The flop is absolute garbage; say 3 6 10 rainbow. You bet the pot and your opponent makes a pot sized raise. Assume for the sake of the argument that you have an adequate bankroll for the game and that both players stacks are $200. You have a tight and semi-agressive image. Your opponent is not a complete fish, but not a shark either. He is generally a tight player, but you have seen him call a raise with AJ in EP, flop an ace, and call down the PF raiser.

How do you approach the rest of the hand? Do you think "there's nothing on the board and he's raising big, he must be able to beat an overpair." Or do you think "he must have marginal hand like A10 or JJ and wants to see if I have the goods." Or something completely different?

Also, does your answer change if you have KK?

-Solo

[dogmeat]

In a $1/$2 blind NL game with players holding a couple hundred in chips, an $8 raise will not reduce the number of medium hands that call. Due to this fact, your non-fish/non-shark player could hold anywhere from a set of threes/sixes/tens to A-T or an overpair.

The problem with the rest of the hand is that you did not clearly define that you had a very strong hand preflop, and your opponent may only give you credit for a medium pair or A-face, which is good, or you may be looking at a set (although a decent player is going to give you enough rope here to hang yourself, so this is not as likely). With this in mind, my play is to move-in, and I usually see JJ or AT in this situation (and this is because they usually call).

If you have KK, you again probably still have the best hand, but I would wait until the turn to make a decision on getting the rest of my chips in the middle.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[pilamsolo]

Thanks for the reply.

Why would you wait until the turn with KK but not with AA?

-Solo

[dogmeat]

Well, it gives me a little edge if I wait with the KK and make sure an ace does not come on the turn. I might not want to get all-in with that ace out there.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[DBowling]

I think you want to get it all in before the A hits. If youre opponent has AT you just gave him a cheap chance to out draw you. If he has JJ and figures you on AK/AQ he very well may lay his hand down when he would have gotten it all in on the flop.
I think with either AA or KK you on a junk board, you are not going to get your opponent to fold a better hand than yours, though you may get a worse hand to pay you off. How fast you play it should be player dependant. If youre opponent is tricky and decent, i may slow down. If he is typical party fish, im getting more chips in on the flop so not to let him outdraw me on the cheap.

[Silverbolt]

I am almost always pushing after the raise on the flop. If he has a set, you've gotta pay him off. More often however he will have nothing more than TPTK or an overpair which obviously won't beat yours. With KK, it's a little more concerning, but again i think you've gotta push. If he has aces, oh well, you woulda pushed preflop if a raise had come then instead of on the flop. More often though AA and KK is good here me thinks.

[Rascal]

If the guy reraises you on the flop i would take him off a set. Id put him on either top pair ace kicker or JJ, QQ and even KK.

If he has a set and you make nice size bet he'll figure this guys betting for me so he'll call with the nutz. He'll make his move on the river.

If he has an over pair and sees you bet the flop his automatic thought is to raise with those cards and puts you on AK AQ.

[grandgnu]

I agree with the others. He's likely got a 10 with a high card, or a decent pocket pair but not trips and I don't believe two pair with that flop.

I think your Aces are good here and I'd probably push all-in.