checking along w/ Tommy Angelo

[elena_elphie]

This hand has been sticking in my mind for a few days now, mainly because it seems so simple, and because I ended up checking every street, which tends not to happen in hands I am involved in. I'm currently trying to figure out how to let up the gas, my old tricks don't always work any more at this level.

Bay 101 40-80, great game, folded to me in early middle position w/ JJ. I raise. Tommy Angelo three-bets in late position, everyone folds, we're heads up. This is the first session I've played with him I think, at least the first time I recognized him. I am getting over my "OMG, I'm playing with Tommy Angelo" I remember reading his posts back when I was a lurker, and starting to play the .50/1 on Party, and now here I am playing in a 40-80 game with him. I keep remembering that I do have an edge here, I know more about him than he does about me.

On an earlier hand I raised with a medium pocket, Tommy 3-bet, and I folded to a flop bet on a broadway flop.

The flop comes AA5, I don't remember the suits. I'm pretty well crushed by what I think of as Tommy's 3-betting range here, but visions of pushing him off of KK or QQ dance in my head. Checkraising the flop almost screams I don't have an A, if I try for a turn checkraise, he most likely will check behind me. Some weird call flop, lead turn line also doesn't seem that convincing. Trying for a lead/3 bet of the flop might do the trick, but I doubt Tommy will oblige with a raise especially without an A, and I don't want to spew against AK. Probably check/folding is best here. Anyway, I check, and Tommy checks behind.

He does this a lot, I almost never do this, I need to incorporate this into my arsenal, still working on it. Does the check mean an A or a pair, I'm still not sure.

The turn comes a K, this looks even more miserable for my JJ, although it doesn't actually change my position relative to my estimate of Tommy's three-betting range. I check intending to fold, and Tommy checks behind. Tommy's seen me bet and raise a lot. Maybe it looks to him like I might be slowplaying an A myself.

The river comes a Q. Now I think something like TT or 99 is too likely for me to fold here. I check intending to call, and Tommy checks behind again.

Comments?