Misplayed AJs? comments please.

tree_stump · #1 07-16-2004, 02:11 AM

Below is a hand I feel like I may have misplayed a bit, but I'm looking for comments to help sharpen my play. I've included my thoughts during the hand in italics.

Before I begin, villain has been playing like a maniac lately - called me down with A9s (for an ace high) head-up against my JJ, and sucked out on me three times with K2o, K4o, and A4o (all played from MP against my EP raises with AKo, QQ, and AKs, respectively).

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
3 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, CO (villain) calls, 2 folds, BB checks,

I typically fold AJ to a raise, so I'm going to limp. My J should be a good kicker at this table if I hit the A.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls, villain raises, BB folds, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

Comments please? I don't reraise here because I'm worried about him playing A8 - my read tells me he's got Ax where x < 8, though. He's playing like a maniac and he's got an ace, sure, but my jack's a great kicker

Turn: (5.25 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 checks, villain bets, Hero raises, MP3 calls, villain 3-bets, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

With my read, the 7 is a little bit of a scare card, but c'mon, how can he be playing A7? There are no draws (because the way he played this hand, there's no way he's got KJ or KT - he tends to bet whenever he hits a piece, but checks and calls with a draw), but I get scared at his reraise and just call the 3-bet... Should I have capped it?

River: (14.25 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero bets, MP3 folds, villain raises, Hero calls.

Now, I just turn into a girl. After spiking the J and no draws on the board, why didn't I cap it?

Final Pot: 18.25 BB
Main Pot: 18.25 BB, between Hero and villain. > Pot won by Hero (18.25 BB).

Results in white below: 
Hero shows Js As (two pair, aces and jacks).
villain shows Ah 7d (two pair, aces and sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins 18.25 BB. 

I've just moved from NL25 and NL50 games, so my limit play could definitely be better... Any takers?

spydog · #2 07-16-2004, 02:17 AM

Preflop: Raise 100% of the time
Flop: 3-bet to punish crappy aces, middle pairs, and flush draws that he might raise with.

Turn and river are hard to say because you played the PF and flop very weakly with a strong hand.

Barry · #3 07-16-2004, 02:24 AM

Let's see here....

Raise PF something like 100% of the time.

3-bet the flop, if he caps you can slow down.

Lead the turn, when he raises, OK maybe he hit his 2 pair, but I'm not folding.

I'd checkraise the river and call a 3-bet.

tree_stump · #4 07-16-2004, 02:55 AM

Got it... Coming from NL, I didn't realize how powerful a hand AJs was - I hate playing it into pot-sized bets, because it's a stack killer.

Thanks for the advice, guys. The villain wouldn't have played any different whether or not I raised PF, so I really just cost myself 4-6 more big bets by not raising PF, capping the flop, and raising (or c/ring) the river.