a free showdown hand

I can think of a few reasons to not raise. 1) Pot is kind of smallish so I don't really mind button padding the pot as he is drawing thin if he's behind. 2) We picked up a gutshot so getting 3 bet puts us in a tough spot 3) From your description of SB I'm not sure we can fold to a river bet.

[brettbrettr]

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Getting three-bet would indeed suck, but doesn't it at least give you the information you need to know you are beaten and should fold? Doesn't getting three-bet on the turn suck even more?

What hand correctly cold calls a raise in this situation?

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Raising for info is not really a reason to raise. Paying 1 BB for info in this small pot is way too expensive for my taste.

As far as what hand correctly cold calls the flop, well, its more likely than not a hand that beats me. But I think I'll have more success getting a better ace to fold to turn when I raise there.

Getting three bet on the turn is possible, but unlikely. I'm basically never getting three bet by this guy when he has a better ace. He needs two pair to three bet me here. Most players don't three bet the turn with one pair.

The other thing no one has mentioned is that the turn card gave me a gutshot and I now have 4 more outs. If I get three-bet and don't improve, I can fold to the river bet.

I'm wondering if I make the same play without picking up the gutshot. Probably, b/c the key to the play is getting the button to fold what may or may not be a better hand. I wouldn't be happy about it though.

[brettbrettr]

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3) From your description of SB I'm not sure we can fold to a river bet.

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He's not a lag. He has a hand when he bets, be it a piece of the board or a draw.

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Its an easy fold to a river bet. This guy is not a lag. He's not very good, but he plays standard hands pre-flop, and just doesn't play well post-flop. Typical. I think all of you are overestimating how he'll react to a turn raise. Turn raises live usu signify a big, big hand. Especially from me and I've been sitting long enough for him to know this.

[Borodog]

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Paying 1 BB for info in this small pot is way too expensive for my taste.

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To be fair, you're only paying 1 SB for the information, since you're paying the other 1 SB anyway.

Personally, I agree that I would like to try to get heads up or find out I'm in bad shape on the small street rather than the big one. The line you've taken, delaying a protection raise for the big street is really more appropriate for a large pot. This pot is small. Take control on the flop and try to win it outright on the turn.

PS. Was the game loose enough that you could expect several callers behind you? Because I usually don't come in after 1 limper with Ace-baby suited. After 2 limpers or as an open-raise after several folds is fine, but I dislike over-limping AXs after only 1.

[brettbrettr]

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To be fair, you're only paying 1 SB for the information, since you're paying the other 1 SB anyway.

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If I raise and get three bet I have to see the turn. That's one BB. If I call and get raised, I have to see the turn, that's one SB.

[Borodog]

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To be fair, you're only paying 1 SB for the information, since you're paying the other 1 SB anyway.

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If I raise and get three bet I have to see the turn. That's one BB. If I call and get raised, I have to see the turn, that's one SB.

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If you get 3-bet, which usually won't occur in this passive game. So the actual cost is somewhen between 1 SB and 1 BB.

I still like raising the flop.

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[SippinSoma]

Shouldn't this move be reserved for draw intense boards? All he could be betting here is a gutshot or a made hand. Which is more likely? Depending on your read, he could easily be betting mid or bot pair, or even air in which case you don't want him folding the turn. Why do you want button in the hand anyway? His flop call tells you nothing about his hand. I raise the flop, hope he folds, and hope SB calls me down with midpair. He may have a stronger ace, so depending on my read I'll check behind on the river, but it sounds like he could easily not have an ace here.

[brettbrettr]

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This pot is small.

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I agree. After the hand my only concern was that the pot was too small for this play.

[brettbrettr]

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So the actual cost is somewhen between 1 SB and 1 BB.

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Which is always > 1 sb.

With that board what can the button have where he doesn't have 5 outs or less? What does the raise to do for us? The pot is so small it doesn't really matter does it? Do you really think the button will fold a hand like A9,AT? If this is game is a passive one like you said, then my guess is no. I don't think you need to raise to protect your hand since the pot is so small and him calling wo/ the best hand is a mistake all by itself. And its cheaper like brett said.
Since you say he always has something when he bets, theres no draw on this board (unless you consider betting gutshots) for him to bet. Personally, don't play A3s from early position unless its a game where every pot is virtually a family pot.