NL10 FR - AA Facing Flop Min-Raise

[johnc]

Villian was very LAGgy 83/35/2.85. He had stolen quite a few pots post-flop, however, the table was pretty weak/tight and the hands he did show down were strong.

Ultimate Bet
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.05./$0.10.
10 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)

Stack sizes:
UTG: $10.81
UTG+1: $1.71
UTG+2: $9.85
MP1: $5.63
MP2: $8.22
MP3: $9.17
CO: $5
Button: $6.79
Hero: $15
BB: $14.86

Pre-flop: (10 players) Hero is SB with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif A/images/graemlins/club.gif
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3, folds, CO (poster) checks, Button folds, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to $1.05</font>, BB calls, 4 folds.

Flop: K/images/graemlins/club.gif 2/images/graemlins/club.gif 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif ($2.5, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Hero bets $2.5</font>, <font color="#cc0000">BB raises to $5</font>, <font color="#cc0000">Hero????????

At this point, I realize I'm probably ahead here, but the villian's huge range and the min-raise (I had not seen him do that yet) kinda froze me. My initial reaction would be that a call here, IMO, would be horribly weak, so it seemed like a fold or push situation. Am I really ahead enough of the time considering the villian's range and that gawd-awful min-raise (it seemed to scream set to me). I can't really count out a set of 8's, 2's, or even unlikely K's or can I? These situations are the ones that seem to get me in the most trouble and it seems like I'm either shoving my chips in when I'm way behind or folding winners. Comments? Advice?

[Vern]

My $0.02

A raise on the flop will tell him you did not wiff, and if he was just being a LAG with air he will fold. The A and K of the two flush are accounted for, I think I call, check the turn and plan on calling a push or c/r with a push there. That is read dependant on your read that he is very LAGgy and spends a lot of time stealing pots. Against a TAG, I go push on the flop.

[DannieUke]

Push -- even though he seems capable of anything, you're ahead to anything but KK, K8, K2, 88 &amp; 22 -- and only pocket kings makes much sense of his preflop call...

Maybe I'm biased -- having just gotten brushed off a big multi-way pot by an AI raise, only to see my AKs would've beaten his K8o audacity...

[ymu]

He only has $9 behind with $12.5 in the pot when you call his raise, so it's definitely push or fold. If he raises naked flush draws frequently - or calls too much with TPTK/TPGK - then I'd push the flop. If he can fold TPGK, then I might just call and let him push the turn.

I don't think I'm finding a fold against this villain.

[ymu]

[ QUOTE ]
Push -- even though he seems capable of anything, you're ahead to anything but KK, K8, K2, 88 &amp; 22 -- and only pocket kings makes much sense of his preflop call...


[/ QUOTE ]
22 and 88 make perfect sense - the PFR was only 7% of his stack. Fewer 2 pair hands are in the running, but K8s is possible depending on how loose he calls raises as opposed to raising himself.

[Wu36]

just push.

[johnc]

[ QUOTE ]
22 and 88 make perfect sense - the PFR was only 7% of his stack. Fewer 2 pair hands are in the running, but K8s is possible depending on how loose he calls raises as opposed to raising himself.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what really has me bothered here. As Vern pointed out, vs a TAG, the push seems correct because his their holdings can be narrowed down much better. But here our stack sizes plus his range really puts hands like 88, 22, and K8s in the mix. Also, too many times, I have seen even aggressive types put in a min-raise with their sets. Actually, to a bigger raise, a push would be much easier given his history of stealing pots and the higher likelyhood of pot commiting him with a hand I beat.

[Vern]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
22 and 88 make perfect sense - the PFR was only 7% of his stack. Fewer 2 pair hands are in the running, but K8s is possible depending on how loose he calls raises as opposed to raising himself.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is what really has me bothered here. As Vern pointed out, vs a TAG, the push seems correct because his their holdings can be narrowed down much better. But here our stack sizes plus his range really puts hands like 88, 22, and K8s in the mix. Also, too many times, I have seen even aggressive types put in a min-raise with their sets. What do you make of min-raises in these situations?

[/ QUOTE ]
I still intended to get all-in against this villain. The only reason I would call the flop raise is that a TAG is not raising here without something that would call my push whereas the LAG trying to buy the pot with air might fold and I can get him to put his whole stack in on the turn with a second barrel of air on the steal.