20-40 hand, feedback requested

[I.Rowboat]

Good, somewhat passive 20-40 game at Bay101. No maniacs, several good players. I'm winning almost four racks and have the biggest stack at the table.

Solid player open-limps in MP. I've played a lot with this individual and while his post-flop play is solid, his opening requirements are looser than mine. The action is folded to me in the SB. I call with A-6o for two more chips, BB checks. Flop comes AQ6r.

I check my two pair. BB and opener check behind me.

Turn is a 9 (suit unimportant). I bet, BB folds, opener calls.

River is an A, giving me aces full of sixes. I bet, am raised, I reraise, and am reraised again.

Based on the action as described, what hand do you put your lone opponent on, and what's your move? My results to follow.

[Brian462]

Here's my guess:

Either a weakish ace(AJs, AJ, ATs) or 99. If he is on an Ace then he might have checked after the blinds figuring you guys had nothing, hoping you might pick up a small pair and bet out. If he had 99 then he wanted to wait for the river to raise, figuring you didn't have much and were maybe even bluffing.

I'm probably way off though.

[Bogatog]

Just guessing as I'm a newb, but I would expect to see AJ or AT, AQ wouldn't surprise me either.

[Garland]

Hey, I play in the Bay Area too. Only I play in the north at Lucky Chances. I wonder how you compare the two if you did play at both. I've played at Bay 101 once before.

Anyhow, There are only two hands you fear is AQ and A9 as QQ (unlikely as he would have raised), 66 and 99 are losers. I don't know what type of player he is, but if he's any player at all, he's open raising AQ. Another possiblity is he has A6 and it's probably suited, it which case it's tied.

Now the hands he's hold that you beat:
66 - possible
99 - possible
QQ - if he's tricky

vs.
Hands that would beat you:
AQ - possible, but not likely.
A9 - definitely possible

vs.

A6 - Tie

Some of this depends on what you think your opponent thinks of you, but I think this is worth one good reraise, and if he reraises you again, just call.

Now a question for you is, do you think it's wise to slowplay this flop (both of you)? There is serious consideration that someone could have a gutshot straight draw and you could have given someone with KJ or J10 a free card. Yes, it's only 2 other opponents, but those hands are very playable.

Garland

[mike l.]

i cant imagine this guy checking A9 on the flop, nor can i believe that he has AQ. i think A6 is more likely, but even more likely than any of those is a pocket pair QQ, 99, or the unlikely 66. im gonna say he has QQ in put in one more raise.

[adios]

Can't imagine MP player that's solid post flop checking a hand with an Ace in it on the flop. I'd guess he spiked a 9 on the turn to give him a set. I like your check on the flop btw.

[I.Rowboat]

Thanks for all the replies.

I, too, had a hard time figuring out what my opponent could have had. Afterall, he had limped from MP, checked the flop, called the turn, and now was four betting the river?!

My first thought was that he must have flopped a set, most likely sixes, as I'm sure he would have raised QQ or 99. So I reraised, and then he made it six bets, and I had to reevaluate; this man is not an idiot, and his post flop play is generally good -- better than his pre-flop play. Hmmmm...

So I called, and he showed me what I realized he had to have: AQ. We had both flopped two pair, both slow played the flop, and he continued to slow play the turn. Then the perfect river card came and I paid him off like a slot machine.

Although I would have a hard time open limping with AQo from MP -- something that may, in fact, be impossible for me -- his open-limp was the red herring that really threw me. I've played with him often, and I'd never seen him do this; unfortunately for me his timing was perfect.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. I don't know how many of you would have gone six big bets in this situation, but I can't really fault myself for falliing into his trap: sometimes you just get outplayed [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

[Tommy Angelo]

"what's your move?"

Make it five bets, and fold if he makes it six.

[ML4L]

Hey Tommy,

Can you explain your reasoning? That play just doesn't feel right to me...

ML4L