20-40 AA, choosing to let villain take the lead

[Analyst]

20-40, 9 handed.

I'm UTG+1 in my second orbit with AA and open-raise. Folded to LP who 3-bets, folded back to me. Normally I'd have capped this, and certainly would against multiple opponents, but in this case decided to let LP take the lead. LP seems to be a thinking player though again, I'm pretty new at the table; he did ask to see my hand after I lost with KJ in the BB on a Jxxxx board, so he had some idea how I play.

Granted that a war plan never survives the first skirmish, my thought process was this for most of his likely holdings and non-ridiculous boards:

- if I cap, the line could very well go bet-call, bet-call, bet-call/fold, winning another 2-3BB; he could also very well fold the turn if he whiffs something like AJ, reducing the win to 1BB

-if I don't cap, the likely line becomes check-bet-call, check-bet-raise-call, bet-call/fold, winning 2.5-3.5BB, reduced to .5BB if he whiffs the turn (check-bet-call, check-check, bet-fold) or 1.5BB if he folds to the turn check-raise.

So, the upside is higher if I don't cap PF and let him take the lead. The downside also seems better, as I can more easily take lower cost routes from the turn on if need be.

Good plan? Or is this over-thought and I should just ram and jam PF on?

[mmcd]

This is my default preflop line against a thinking opponent in this scenerio. PARTICULARLY so if he his very aggressive post-flop and is likely to be holding a big pair himself. On the flop, depending on how aggro he is and how he views you, I might checkraise (if the flop comes rags) so he would put me on something like JJ, TT, or maybe Ak. You can call his flop 3-bet and either try to check-raise or lead-3bet the turn depending on how much he likes to push his semi-big hands, and far he's willing to go to try and extract maximum value. Against some very Aggro (but tight) opponents, its possible to get 3 bets on the flop, 3 or 4 on the turn, and 1 on the river, especially if your lucky enough to get a ragged but draw heavy board.

[J.A.Sucker]

Something to think about: Bay 101 doesn't have a cap once it becomes headsup. I've frequently put in 7 or 8 bets headsup preflop in positions like this.

My preferred line against most of these guys is to reraise, and try to get as much in preflop as you can. If he has KK or QQ, you'll get some action. Further, if you take initiative, then he may be tempted to try to blow you off your hand on the turn or river. Don't ask me why, but people there love to do that, and will actually give you MORE action later in the hand if you put in the last raise preflop. Strange but true.

[mmcd]

[ QUOTE ]
Bay 101 doesn't have a cap once it becomes headsup. I've frequently put in 7 or 8 bets headsup preflop in positions like this.


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If this is the case than obviously a 4 bet is better.

Do the more decent players really do this in position with hands like QQ or AK there? KK I could see, but I'd think most would even slow down here before reaching 8

Must make for some wild games if the decent players do this against the other decent players.