NL50 6-max: AQ on the button

[cestlavie]

Both of the villains are TAGs, MP being somewhat looser. Over about 70 hands both so that may not be worth much.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

CO ($74.45)
Hero ($50.90)
SB ($97.55)
BB ($19.75)
UTG ($17.35)
MP ($58.45)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises to $2</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $7</font>, SB calls $6.75, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls $5.

I've been trying to open up with 3-betting preflop, I see no sanity in calling and check/folding a missed flop. So it's either raise or fold time. AQ is too good to fold, so I build my postflop fold equity with a hand that may very well be the best. SB calls which worries me a lot.

Flop: ($21.50) 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, MP checks, Hero checks.

A bad flop, especially against two players. With just MP in I guess I would have auto-bet this. Now the possibility of AK or KQ is just too high, so I check behind. Weak?

Turn: ($21.50) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $7</font>, MP calls $7, Hero folds.

The turn bricks, SB bets out so he could well have AQ as well, but also AK or KQ, or any pair if he thinks he would get the implied odds to call for a set preflop. But betting out into 2 on this board with an underpair is giving your money away at best; SB would have to consider that even though I could be playing something like JJ-TT this way, there's still MP to act who called my pot-sized PFR OOP. (No real reads of these players so I'm not too sure how clever they are.)

MP calls SB's weak bet (doesn't raise though, hmm), I don't want to go broke with this hand that's marginal at best, so I fold. Weak? I really don't have any draws except to the 2 Q's, an A would be delicious to AK and help in getting myself stacked. I decide that this hand is too hot for me and bail out, licking my wounds for $7 worth.

[TyFuji]

Yeah, I think you played it fine, I prolly would have raised a little less preflop (5-5.50ish) and tossed out a 1/2 pot c-bet on the flop. However, this is a marginal flop to c-bet.

[PietM]

I think the preflop RR of $7 is fine. Potsize raise would be $6.75. I would sometimes let AQo go though in this spot, but that's very much read-dependent.

Although this isn't the best flop for you, it isn't really that bad. I think I would put out a modest bet here ($12-$15?) after two checks.

The smallish bet on the turn means nothing to me. Could be a steal. I think I would call this (with all the money in the pot, you have to call $7 to win $35) and re-evaluate river.

[orange]

Flop is good, turn is okay.

[avfletch]

If your read that the initial raiser is tight is accurate then reraising with AQo is pretty spewy imo. Sitting in MP his range (unless he doesn't understand position) isn't that large and your AQ would be nearer the bottom.