Black bullets in poker heaven. Should I have listened to HEFAP?

[pudley4]

If the more aggressive players are before you, you should be more likely to check the flop (hoping they bet into you on the turn) than if they are behind you.

If the more aggressive players are behind you, you should bet the flop and hope you get raised.

[Magikist]

The main point of my response to the original poster was to suggest an alternative to betting. Betting when checked to on the flop may not be the best play UNLESS he expects to get raised by an opponent in later position.

The best way to win this pot is to eliminate opponents by making them face multiple bets, especially multiple big bets. One plan to orchestrate this scenario is to have it checked through on the flop and hope a player bets the turn before Hero so he can raise.

But plans go awry - if a player behind him bets the flop, I think he'd rather build a pot than simply call (or hope he gets 3-bet!).

I do agree, though, that checkraising in this particular hand is not a viable option to eliminate opponents because of position.

[crockpot]

i would have made the HFAP play, but i doubt it would have saved you the pot here. confronting the field with a double big bet will really get out small pairs effectively.

[Mike Haven]

the only thing that was wrong here was the guy's pre-flop call with his T8o for 22 to 6, but if he "knew" that it was likely to be a 42 to 6 call because of his read of comparitive previous games at this particular table even that becomes borderline ok

once he flopped his top pair there was no getting rid of him on a passive table - even a bet and raise in front of him on the turn would be called at 90 to 12

(if he knew you had AA and it was HU he would win nearly a fifth of all hands after this flop)

perhaps he shouldn't call a turn bet and raise for 60 to 12 if no one bet the flop, but your giving seven players a free card would often be suicidal

i think you played it the right way, knowing that AA doesn't win every time - but for the many times it holds up you have pretty much maximised your long term winnings

this was just one of the times it wasn't destined to win - and you are lucky he didn't raise you on the river