2/5 live - line check

[chumdawg]

Playing live, six-handed, at an underground room. I know everyone at the table, and everyone knows me. I know that three of my opponents are too loose postflop, two of which will become passive after the flop and one of which will gladly gamble. Another opponent is very tight and passive, and the remaining fellow is a solid winning player who I do not want to tangle with. I think they see me as pretty tight but willing to play a big pot if I think I have an edge. This session I haven't done anything tricky, but am up a little with straightforward play.

I am in the big blind.

UTG, one of the loose-pre-flop-passive-post-flop guys, limps with ~$200 behind.

Next guy, the solid winning player, limps with ~$700 behind.

CO folds.

Button, the gambler, limps with ~$200 behind.

SB folds.

I look down at AQ suited in hearts. I have ~$600 behind. I raise to $25.

UTG folds. Winning player calls. Gambler calls. I am surprised that winning player calls, but not surprised that gambler does.

Flop comes 9TJ, and the T and J are hearts. I bet $100.

Winning player folds. Gambler calls, leaving ~$70 behind.

Comments on any street appreciated.

[Malachii]

Looks fine so far. Monster draw, obviously, with lots of nut outs.

[btetreau]

Dead serious, with no sarcasm intended, why are you posting this? Was there something about this hand that you thought might have been off or a mistake?

The only reason I ask is because this line looks very standard and normal, as M said you've got tons of nut-outs.

Is the room really underground?! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[NickPoker]

I would probably just limp from the BB, but if I was going to raise I would make it $35. A $20 isn't going to chase anybody out if the first guys calls. AQ is going to be difficult to play post flop OOP with people who call you. Bottem line preflop limp or try to take it down or get it heads up.

Flop
This is a pretty good flop, I think your bet is fine. On the turn you have one move, that is to push. You are committed. Gambler could easily have J10 or KQ, but you can't go anywhere for $70.

[chumdawg]

Thanks for the response, Nick. I posted this because I thought the pot size I had created with my PFR and the remaining stack sizes I was up against gave me some difficulty about what was the proper play on the flop, being out of position as I was.

If only the gambler had called my PFR, I'm pretty sure I would have just pushed it all in on the flop and expected a fold (or have been happy to play for his remaining stack, given all the outs).

If only the winning player had called me pre-flop, I'd have strongly considered going for a check raise all-in.

At any rate, with both players in the pot I had to decide whether I liked this hand enough to bet my whole stack on it, since the winning player had me covered. If I did, then what would be the best line for that? The check-raise, I think. If it checks around, I've got a much easier decision on the turn.

Ultimately, the winning player folded to my small overbet, and the gambler smooth called. Of course at that point the play of the hand was over, as the rest of the chips were going in on the turn regardless. At that point I wondered if I had misplayed the hand. Because I don't like the situation where the turn blanks and I have zero fold equity and now not near as strong a draw.

Given all that, I think I agree with you, Nick, that either checking the BB or raising it to $35 would have made the hand easier to play.

[ryanghall]

I highly dislike the raise preflop. AQs is a nice hand to raise with position but I don't like to play a raised pot with it out of position, especially vs a good player. I like the flop bet, but I think you made it just over the pot size. I'd probably make it 2/3 pot to hopefully induce a raise and push if raised.

Ryan

Edit - raising is ok but if you do raise, raise higher (although I still prefer the check)