Did I overplay AA?

[ChrisCo]

I was playing a 30+3 party MTT that started with 1300+ players and we were down to about 275 left with the money starting at 130th. I had t12000, while average was below t5000. I had a very solid table image, only showing down big pairs so far. I was also going against the chipleader of the tournament, so he was the only one at my table that could take me out.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t300 (10 handed)

Hero (t11884)
Button (t5750)
SB (t4390)
BB (t1510)
UTG (t16840)
UTG+1 (t9116)
UTG+2 (t287)
MP1 (t2977)
MP2 (t5120)
MP3 (t2909)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls t300, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t900</font>, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls t600.

Flop: (t2250) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t1500</font>, UTG calls t1500.

Turn: (t5250) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t3100</font>, UTG calls t3100.

River: (t11450) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t6384 (All-In)</font>, UTG calls t6384.

Final Pot: t24218

Results in white below: <font color="white">
UTG shows 2s 2h (four of a kind, twos).
Hero shows Ad As (two pair, aces and twos).
Outcome: UTG wins t24218. </font>

Is a check behind on the river a good move?

[sdplayerb]

yes. not much you can expect him to call with here that doesn't have you beat.
You also have to be afraid of 54.
Plus, you still have a playable stack if beat when checking.

[adanthar]

If he's a real LAG, you have to at least be aware of the possibility he's got something like A2s (or 54). On the other hand, the 2 *probably* helps you since it counterfeits any potential 2 pair (never mind the results).

Thing is, you can't fold to a checkraise, a turned flush draw will fold the river and there is probably a limit to how much he'll call off with a low pair. This *might* be result oriented (please don't put them in your title or your post next time), but I would check.

[Roman]

firstly, I raise more preflop.
Secondly, all the check calling makes me scared, and im probably checking behind on the river. Even though something like 88-99 will call me here, a lot more hands that beat me call me too.

[ChrisCo]

I dont think I should be that afraid about 45. My opponent was a solid player and I think 999/1000 times I will not have to worry about 4 5. I would think I would see a mid pocket pair like 10s instead of a full house or quads. Does anyone else see it that way? I just got very anxious, I thought I was going to double through the guy and become the chipleader! Oh well next tournament.

[ron dogg]

First, I like the 3x the BB raise. I come from Paul Phillips school on this. Any variation in your raises gives info and might be a leak. If you always do 3x and it works then fine, if you need to raise 4x at the table then do it, I remember Soss once said and Fossilman said it too that they'll adjust downward if they can. Why commit chips unnecessarly?? Anyways, i digress. . .

You played the hand perfectly until the river IMHO his MIS-play caused you great confusion and may have allowed you to get away from this. You paid for your info here, use it. The flop call is one thing the next smooth call just screams set. With a workable stack, I check behind here. Let it be known i'm probably a touch more conservative on these matters than most who post here. Though i'm not worried about 54 in the least.

Tough break, get them next time.
That is all,
R-

[ChrisCo]

Thanks for the opinions on the hand. I think one of the situations that affected me about this hand was I felt I played a couple hands before this pretty weak tight. I ended up just calling down a guy when a flush card hit on the turn when I had a set, he ended up having tp2k. I think that rattled me a little bit that I didnt get full value out of that hand and then I pressed too hard because of this.

Also I think I should have raised it up more preflop. It was pretty obvious that my opponent knew exactly what I had and it was likely that I was just going to win a small pot or lose a large pot when he hit his set. I think a raise to 1200 - 1600 would have been a good way to protect against this, but I still believe he would have called because we have such deep stacks.

[HoldingFolding]

I've been in situations like this quite a few times recently - usually I flop 2 pairs with overcards, my oponent has the set with the remaining low card. I'm not saying you could have avoided this, but you have it in your brain that you have the best hand and you just keep hammering away without stopping to think...."Why is this guy calling me?"

I think at this stage of a tournament, the big stack is the only player really in a position to see flops for their draw potential (I've put a sticker to that effect on my monitor). He also has the huge advantage that he 'knows' you on a high pair/overcards and it looks like a great flop for you - he knows you'll keep coming and doesn't need to bet back. An envious sitution - all with hindsight, but it made me think.

[donny5k]

He must have really had you read to check that river.

[Annie Duke]

I don't like your preflop raise to 900. That is only 3 times the big blind and someone has already limped. IMO 1200 is the better raise here with a preflop limper. It will give his hand more definition.

As for the river, the deuce is very likely to help your hand here so this is a difficult spot. Given that he limped UTG the only hands you are worried about are fullhouses or quads rather than straights. And it is an odd check from quads or a fullhouse on the river which makes it seem more likely he is not holding one of these hands when he checks. This makes the hand a little confusing which is why I am not surprised you bet the river. He must have been very sure you were going to bet.

However also given the way he played the hand it is pretty sure he does not have JJ thru AA. 88-TT pays you off on the end--but you probably would have heard from those hands as well before the river. So given the check-call on the turn I would probably check back since I think an overpair would have tested the waters before the river. This leaves him with no hand that can call you that doesn't already beat you.