Missed this read - maybe you can do better

[jat850]

Live 2/4 game at Commerce. I know I got this read of Villain's hand wrong. I would like to know if you could do better and explain your answer.

Villain is SB. He is LAG, but not stupid. BB is a fish, soon to be filleted. Hero is late MP with AKo.

PF: UTG folds, EP 1 calls, EP2 calls, MP1 folds, Hero raises, CO and Button fold, SB completes, BB calls, EP's fold. 3 players, 7 sb.

Flop: A23 rainbow. Checked to Hero who bets, SB raises, BB fish folds, Hero just calls. 2 players 10 sb.

Here is where I had trouble. I couldn't figure out a range a likely holdings for Villain so I brain locked and just called. What do you put him on and why? The only things I thought of I really didn't like what with the connected flop even though I paired my Ace. Hand was just checked through on turn and river cards which were both blanks. I had no idea whether I was ahead or behind so I justed checked it down.

I'll post Villain's actual holding after a few replies.

He probably has a crapy ace or some other crappy holding and thinks he can get you to fold whatever it is you hold. Just keep raising until
A) you are satisfied he has you beat
or B) he stops raising. I'd probably cap the flop and go a bet or two on the turn.

Range of hands for Villian is probably a pair of Aces, perhaps with a weak kicker. It seems weird that Villian would check-raise the flop with 2 pair or better, since most players like to wait until the turn to check-raise and collect more money when the size of the bets increase. The fact that Villian checked the turn should have signaled that he probably didn't have anything, but I like your check on the turn in case Villian is setting you up for a check-raise. On the river, Villian again checks. Since he checked both the turn and river, you have to figure that you may have the best hand and should put a bet out there.

What confused me the most about your play was that you only called Villian's raise on the flop. Why not 3-bet with TPTK? If he re-raises, you know he's probably strong hand, but by simply calling, you don't know for sure, thus causing you to play timidly and check down the turn and river.

It feels like SB has TP?K and wants to know where s/he stands and to get rid of other players. S/he doesn't know if you are betting an ace or are just betting out of obligation for having been the PF raiser.

Another possibility is that this player has you read and wants you to pay off s/his wo pair. But, I would lay off taht explanation without evidence.

[jat850]

Your are right - in hindsight, the 3 bet on the flop would have smoked this one out, one way or the other, right away. If I had come out of my mental funk in time, I could have bet the river too, after his second check. I figured both approaches out myself, but only AFTER the hand was over. I just felt really lost on this one during decision time and wound up taking a safe road out.

[W. Deranged]

If you just call the flop check-raise here, it should be with the intent of raising the turn. Hence, when he checks the turn, you probably should bet.

As it were, if you think your opponent will often check-raise one street and check the next, it's better just to three-bet the flop to avoid losing value.

My guess is he has a pocket pair <=TT and he is just testing your raise to see if you actually have an A. I think he would bet a weak A on the river after you checked the turn.

I agree with others on how you could have played it. If you call the flop, bet or raise the turn. Otherwise, if you were going to be unsure on the turn, just 3-bet the flop.

[JojoDiego]

I don't know if a non-stupid LAG would cold-call the PF raise w/A-rag. Maybe he's got a small suited-connector that gives him a draw? 3-4s maybe.

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if a non-stupid LAG would cold-call the PF raise w/A-rag. Maybe he's got a small suited-connector that gives him a draw? 3-4s maybe.

[/ QUOTE ]

He is coming out of the Small Blind, A LAG will take the discount and call a raise everytime with Ace Rag.

Question 1) Will this guy try to C/R?

If not, I see 2 pair or a draw. A2. A3, 23, or 34.
a mid PP is also possible

LLL

You say that he's LAG and not stupid. If he's not stupid, I don't just take this to mean that he doesn't cold-call with complete junk. I also take it to mean that he probably knows that you're tight and that he can possibly either use the free card play against you or just try to bluff-raise the preflop raiser off something like KQ, KJ, or some middling pair like 88-TT.

Therefore I think villain's hand is really undefined by the check-raise. He could be bluffing, semi-bluffing, slowplaying on the flop, or protecting two pair against a BB that he thinks will call one bet but not two. You have TPTK heads-up, and that's extremely strong against any kind of loose player, aggressive or passive. My instinct here is not to let him away with a semi-bluff and 3-bet the flop, planning to bet or raise the turn, and re-evaluate if check-raised or 3-bet on the turn. If villain caps the flop, I probably just call down.

Now, given that villain checks turn and river, I say he's on some kind of mid pair, probably 44 or 55.