AQ on the button trouble
 

I have not been able to master playing two overcards to low board. Thoughts on my line?

No real good reads other than the table as a whole is kinda LAG.

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Full Tilt Poker Game - $1/$2 Limit Hold'em

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero (Button) [Ad Qh]
Villain calls $1
UTG Sitting out
MP1 folds
MP2 folds
MP3 folds
CO folds
Hero (Button) raises to $2
SB calls $1.50
BB calls $1
Villain calls $1

*** FLOP *** [9s 3c 2d]
SB checks
BB checks
Villain checks
Hero (Button) checks

*** TURN *** [9s 3c 2d] [Jc]
SB bets $2
BB folds
Villain calls $2
Hero (Button) calls $2

*** RIVER *** [9s 3c 2d Jc] [Qs]
SB checks
Villain bets $2
Hero (Button) raises to $4
SB folds
Villain has 15 seconds left to act
Villain raises to $6
Hero (Button) raises to $8
Villain calls $2

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

Preflop: good

Flop: good check; you missed completely and lots of opponents

Turn: Yuck... fold. Not that big of a pot and you are drawing to a weak hand (one pair).

River: I'd go for the overcall here. But if you do raise you can just fold once you are 3bet as there is very little chance that your hand is good. I have absolutely no clue why you would cap.

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

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Flop: good check; you missed completely and lots of opponents



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I would have to disagree with this. I think this is the perfect board to bet in to. Ragged board with no real draws and 3 people checked to you the preflop raiser. Betting here will probably win the pot outright but if not then you still have 6 outs to an overpair, no fear of any flush draws and your able to represent a stronger hand since you were the initial raiser.. and if you do get called your in position to get a free card on the turn or fold if someone leads out.

IMO not betting is way too passive in this situation

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Flop: good check; you missed completely and lots of opponents



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I would have to disagree with this. I think this is the perfect board to bet in to. Ragged board with no real draws and 3 people checked to you the preflop raiser. Betting here will probably win the pot outright but if not then you still have 6 outs to an overpair, no fear of any flush draws and your able to represent a stronger hand since you were the initial raiser.. and if you do get called your in position to get a free card on the turn or fold if someone leads out.

IMO not betting is way too passive in this situation

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I agree...in live play. If this were at a casino I would bet here as you are probably betting for value...someone could have a 9 but it's not that big of a deal if they do and are playing it passively. Online I would check and go for a free turn card...anything besides a paired board or total brick I would fold. The J easily gives someone a pair, the pot isn't that big in BB yet, just fold the turn.

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

Here is how I would play this hand. First, I would bet this flop. Yes, often against 3 other players if your overcards don't pair, you should check. I would check if the flop had been 965r. But a 932r flop is too likely to have missed everyone. You should bet and give people a chance to fold.

You should also plan to bet a lot of turn cards, whether they improve you or not. The J is not a great turn card for you, and I probably wouldn't bet it if all 3 players called the flop, but I would definitely bet if just one player called and usually if two called.

Notice that as you played it, you were basically at a loss on the turn as to whether you should call and were not in a good position to know what to do on the river.

As played, on the river I think going for an overcall is a viable option. Raising is also worth considering, as I think a lot of Qx and Jx hands will call. But when you are 3bet, you should either fold if the guy is passive or call if the guy is spazzy. Without a read I generally call and usually see another AQ, KQ, random air, etc. to make the call at least marginally close, but I wouldn't crticize you for folding either. Capping the river is just really bad.

In general, I think the main problem with the way you played this hand is that you seemed to avoid hand reading altogether and focused only on the absolute strength of your hand. You didn't bet the flop because you "only" had A high, but yet that stood a very good chance of being the best hand and of taking down a nice medium-sized pot right there or with a turn continuation (or with a river check behind when 65s calls twice and misses). You gave crazy action on the river when you hit top pair top kicker, with the third bet going in being marginal at best and the last bet going in just a spewy gift to your opponent.

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

I think a flop bet is close. On a Laggy table I lean towards taking the free card planning to fold the turn unimproved.

If I had a strong image and/or my opponents were weak/tightish I would definitely bet the flop and make a decision on the turn whether to take the free card or bet depending on what falls and who is left in the hand.

The point is that there is no set way to play a hand like this. Your actions depend entirely on the table texture, your image and your reads on your opponents.

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

I like to bet this flop.

As played fold the turn. No need to draw to 6 outs(at best) getting 6-1 with two players in the pot.

I like just calling the river, you're hand is pretty strong(but I had to get 3-bet with it). Let the blind overcall with a J or 9.

Cap the river only if you hate money.

Re: AQ on the button trouble
 

Bet the flop. This a ragged board, you should be able to figure out where you stand here. If called your probably beat. I would check-fold the turn.
As played- still fold the turn. You made the turn harder to play by not betting the flop. Now you don't know if he's betting because you checked the flop or because he has something. Still I'd say your usually up against a pair here more often than not.
The river is just spewing. No reason to cap here.

I think a simple flop bet would have saved you a lot of money on this hand.