AA - horrible board - lots of players - should I have got out earlier

[pilchard]

10$/20$ online hand. The table is very loose aggressive with most pots being at least 5 handed and raised preflop.

I have A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in MP. UTG limps, I raise. I get two cold callers directly behind me. (They could have anything). The SB folds but the BB (a very aggressive player who will 3 bet with any pair or hands as low as K9o) three bets. UTG calls, I cap the betting and everyone calls.

5 players (205$ in the pot).
Flop is K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

Not ideal!
BB and UTG check. I bet. The player behind me raises. The CO folds but the BB and the UTG call the two bets and it is back to me. Can anyone hit the door now? Who three bets? I decide to call.

4 players (285$ in the pot)
The turn is 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. That looks like a complete blank.
Checked to player behind me. He bets. BB calls, UTG calls. I call.

4 players (365$ in the pot)
River is 3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (another blank)

Checked to player behind me who bets. BB calls but UTG folds. Now I'm certain I have the BB beaten and I'm hoping the player behind me has something like A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I call.

Would anyone have played the hand differently?

[elysium]

hi pilchard
if your image is a little tight, solid, and you want let them know you don't need the nuts to raise, you can squeeze a raise out of this thing on the river. but if you're raises are getting called, how you played it is fine.

[Philuva]

i think you played it fine. your calling completed the action on every round post flop so it was an ideal spot to be just calling.

you got to the river after the flop for just two BB's while 4 BB's went into the pot. I would rather that scenario than you putting in more BB's to probably get the same number of BB's from your opponents when you're ahead, but losing more BB's when you are behind.

[Miah]

I think you're good enough in this situation to 3 bet the flop and bet out on the turn, although is the table is pretty loose agressive you might get in trouble calling a turn raise.

[DanZ]

It's very unlikely the MP has any AK, becuase the action was not 3 bet preflop. It is also unlikey this player has a set or flush, since they did wait to raise, instead forcing the field to call 2 cold.

On the flop, I agree with just calling the raise, since everyone has paid a double bet. On the turn, it may be better to bet and hope to get raised, possibly forcing out players behind you. This also prevents the likely free card flop raise from working.

Dan Z.

[sam h]

Pilchard,

I think you have to bet the turn here. As Dan Z pointed out, it prevents a free card and puts pressure on the other players if they're drawing. Additionally, if either of those other players was slowplaying a flopped flush, you can definitely fold if you bet and it comes back two more bets to you. While you can usually fold if you check and it comes back two bets to you, some tricky players might semi-bluff checkraise here to fold the best hand and get heads up with the what very likely could be either the weak king or lone ace of clubs that raised the flop.

I don't think this is a horrible board for you. Flopped two pairs and sets are unlikely. The turn and river both bricked off. If somebody flopped the flush, so be it. But you can't let yourself be moved off aces with this board too easily unless your opponents are very straightforward.