AJ in EP early

[schwza]

empire $100.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (10 handed) converter

CO (t1285)
Button (t700)
SB (t735)
BB (t1590)
UTG (t1305)
UTG+1 (t865)
Hero (t1395)
MP1 (t1830)
MP2 (t1710)
MP3 (t850)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls t20, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t80</font>, <font color="#666666">7 folds</font>, UTG+1 calls t60.

Flop: (t190) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t190) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t75</font>, hero?

thoughts on all streets, as well as a plan for the river.

edit to add: villain was limping a little too much.

[La Brujita]

I don't like building a big pot in early position with aj. I probably either overlimp or fold. Once I raised and was heads up I bet that flop 100% of the time.

As it played out I call turn and reevaluate river if opponent is bad.

[schwza]

why do you bet the flop? villain probably doesn't have many outs if he's behind (QT/QJ are the exceptions), and i'd like to keep the pot small. i have 4 nut outs and 2 more pretty good ones, so i'd rather not get c/r'ed off my hand.

that was a terrible flop for your hand. the straight draws and already made draws are out there and could easily match what your opponent could have.
but he did check, i would then bet which if he called or reraised im gone.
i think your check especially after taking the lead preflop shows me you gave up on the hand already and even a fish would notice that sign then bet the turn no matter what came. so you have to fold the turn.
I would defo continue bet the flop to take it down.

EDIT: i just noticed you raised a EP limp with AJ, do I even need to comment here. i hope you must of had some read on him here.

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
i think your check especially after taking the lead preflop shows me you gave up on the hand already and even a fish would notice that sign then bet the turn no matter what came. so you have to fold the turn.


[/ QUOTE ]

that doesn't make any sense. if he's betting the turn with air then i want to call him.

[betgo]

Preflop, limp behind. AJ is a trouble hand which is not strong with deep money and your position is bad.

I like the check on the turn, but you could also cont. bet.

I like the call of the samll bet on the turn.

Call a small bet on the river if you don't improve. Bet or raise if you make a straight. Play two pair or trips cautiously.

[Sam T.]

I don't think I raise this pre-flop from EP so early in the tournament. Far too often I end up in a five-handed huge pot, and no idea how to bet the JTx flop.

As it stands, I think you have to bet the flop, maybe for 1/2 the pot. It will fold out a lot of the Villain's likely holdings (small pockets and connectors), but not cost you a bunch if he decides he likes his hand enough to continue. It would also probably get you a free river card, which could be pretty profitable, or at least less costly.

As for the t75 bet...I think I call, and see what he does on the river. Bet 3/4 of the pot if he checks.

Sam

dont take that literally.
u shown weakness on the flop so whether he has something or not he will bet. Since he called you preflop he should have some face cards which match the flop very well. all you have is middle pair with good kicker.
your hand is very weak here.
Also the pot isnt very significant to the stacks anyway so i would wait for a better opportunity later on.

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
As it stands, I think you have to bet the flop, maybe for 1/2 the pot. It will fold out a lot of the Villain's likely holdings (small pockets and connectors)

[/ QUOTE ]

why would i want to fold those hands out? they're drawing nearly dead.

[Sam T.]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
As it stands, I think you have to bet the flop, maybe for 1/2 the pot. It will fold out a lot of the Villain's likely holdings (small pockets and connectors)

[/ QUOTE ]

why would i want to fold those hands out? they're drawing nearly dead.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, my logic is faulty. A bet will fold out these hands, but that's not why I make it. I bet because I c-bet most of the time, whether I've flopped 2nd pair, the nuts or nothing at all.

Also a bet tells me where I am without costing me a lot of chips. If he calls, and checks the turn, I can check behind. If he folds, I win the pot. Each of these are acceptable outcomes. When you check behind, you've lost control of the hand. He bets the turn, and you don't know what he's got. Air is a good possibility, but so is a hand that has you drawing thin. But since he has become the aggressor, you can't find out without raising here, or calling him down. I hate being passive.