AQs out of position

[nichtgut]

Hi
Party 10-20. I have A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in MP and open raise. Loose player to my right calls cold, and unknown in LP 3-bets. He has not played many hands under the 20 minutes I've been sitting there. I call, CC calls.
Flop is A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I plan on check-calling down all the way. So I check, CC checks, 3-better bets, I call, CC folds.
Turn is Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I check-call.
River is a blank. I check-call.
What do you think? Standard?

Thanks, N G

[GuyOnTilt]

Hey nichtgut,

Perfectly played.

GoT

[SpicyF]

weak.

[Analyst]

On the flop, I agree. Unless you can put the 3-better on exactly AA, KK or AK, you're in good-to-outstanding shape. Villain may be unknown, but there're a number of other hands (QQ, JJ, etc.) that a reasonable player could have 3-bet pre-flop, and bet the flop after you check. On the flop, you can't go into check-call mode - either bet out or check-raise. I think the rest of the hand would be a lot easier to play.

It does seem to me that the turn actually hurts Hero rather than helps, surprisingly. If he was behind on the flop, he's still behind and if he was ahead, he's still ahead unless villain has QQ. At this point I probably would plan on check-calling the turn, and betting out on the river. Thoughts?

Edited: with more coffee, I don't think betting the river is good. The only hand he'd call with that you'd beat is KQ, and he won't fold anything better. Gotta check-call.

[SpicyF]

Ofcourse the turn hurts, but to quote the german(?) performer/singer "[censored] the Millenium"

[SpicyF]

Not to put down my first reply, "weak", in which matter I think this hand was played. I can see alot of diffrent ways (read: better ways) to play this hand.

The best play (given we know his cards, and the board) is o check-call the flop, bet out the turn and fold to a raise. If called bet the river.

This might sound unorthodox, but given the information we know, I think this is the best way to "balance" the hands win/loss-ratio in this example.

I wouldn't mind if someone would tell me that I am dead wrong, because I'm not feeling good today and that is probarbly clouding my judgement.


Hugs

[SpicyF]

Ofcourse low variance isn't what everyone wants.

[SpicyF]

I dont know why I even care, maybe it has something to do with that I've stepped up to "enthusiast" on the forums now.

[slavic]

I'm voting check call here.

Several reasons

1) we don't know the player yet
2) we have a decent suspicion that what he holds we won't like.
3) we have a little too much hand to fold to an unknown player
4) if we are ahead we don't want him to stop betting or fold

[SpicyF]

You give the other guy to much credit!