50nl: Help with top pair

[straightflush]

Villian is a 37/5/1.5 donk after 100 hands. According to his stats, he gets more aggressive on later streets. He also went to showdown about 40%.

Sometimes I like to check when an ace flops (WA/WB). I don't know if this is a good thing.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
5 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)

Stack sizes:
UTG: $52.35
CO: $35.70
Hero: $50
SB: $14.75
BB: $27.85

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is Button with T/images/graemlins/spade.gif A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to $1.75</font>, SB calls, BB folds.

Flop: 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif A/images/graemlins/club.gif ($4, 2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: K/images/graemlins/spade.gif ($4, 2 players)
SB checks, <font color="#cc0000">Hero bets $3</font>, <font color="#cc0000">SB raises to $6</font>, Hero calls.

River: J/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($16, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">SB is all-in $7</font>, Hero calls.

Results:
Final pot: $30

Can I or should I fold at any point?

[straightflush]

Sorry, I can't get the hh converter to work.

[blackize]

If you're going to check when the ace flops you have to fold to his turn raise. You're checking because its WA/WB and you want to keep the pot small. When your turn bet gets raised he's telling you he has at least a pair of aces and it will rarely be worse than a ten kicker.

[wingchunflush]

I think that you should raise more preflop. I raise to $2 here pf. I think you have to bet the flop here. This guy gets more ambitious in the later hands as you said, better to bet here and take it down. I really dont like the idea of checking the turn then betting to his bet, it makes sense I guess, but I wouldnt check the flop. There seems to be alot on the river within his range that has you beat.

[CaptUnlucky]

[ QUOTE ]
When your turn bet gets raised he's telling you he has at least a pair of aces and it will rarely be worse than a ten kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you don't think this is ace-rag ever? Also, because flop was checked your hand is very underepped. I probably play it the same.

[Panthro]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
When your turn bet gets raised he's telling you he has at least a pair of aces and it will rarely be worse than a ten kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you don't think this is ace-rag ever? Also, because flop was checked your hand is very underepped. I probably play it the same.

[/ QUOTE ]

I also play it the same on turn/river, but it's for this reason I don't like checking the flop. Most aggressive villain's will interpret our flop check as a scared underpair or some other non-ace holding. You have no idea if he's bluffing and representing an A if he thinks we don't have one, betting his Ace/rag for value, or if he's value betting his strong hand that beats us anyhow.

[testaaja]

Well SB has what, $14? I would get my money in. Works either way. If he was a bigger stack I would still bet the flop because that's what I do.

[EMc]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
When your turn bet gets raised he's telling you he has at least a pair of aces and it will rarely be worse than a ten kicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you don't think this is ace-rag ever? Also, because flop was checked your hand is very underepped. I probably play it the same.

[/ QUOTE ]

well said

[orange]

i think you played this well.

[Big Poppa Smurf]

[ QUOTE ]
Well SB has what, $14? I would get my money in. Works either way. If he was a bigger stack I would still bet the flop because that's what I do.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah against a shorty here i would just bet the flop and hope he stacks off with a worse hand or a draw here

as played this is fine, i would probably reraise turn but your line looks better

[InfectorGadget]

Could those who say why this is played well explain why?

I think we have to bet this flop not to give free cards to pairs/FD/gutshots as our hand isnt particularly strong. Without the heart draw I could agree with this play, but is it because its a short-stack we want him to believe we are weak to get him to try a bluff on us?

[Big Poppa Smurf]

1) op said he does this to mix up his play occasionally which is good
2) villain gets more aggro on later streets so he's probably overplaying weakish hands there
3) it underreps our hand, which plays into this villains leak

edit: i'm sure i'm missing some reasons here or not explaining them well

[Sir Winalot]

Yeah, I like to check this flop sometimes too but I'm betting like 90% though. I would probably play it the same or 3-bet AI on turn.