Big Slick is breaking me--line check please

[TomorMatt]

I have not been playing at the table very long, but here are the stats on the Villian--17/8/1.8. This is a relatively small sample (337 hands), but seems pretty accurate. Anyway, here is the hand.

FullTiltPoker Game #435952349: Table Stonewater - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:16:22 ET - 2006/02/12
Seat 1: Hero ($136.15)
Seat 2: TexCTT ($183.40)
Seat 3: Scuba1127 ($152.20)
Seat 4: Villian ($175.40)
Seat 5: LadyCope ($400.10)
Seat 6: dmejias18 ($122.40)
Seat 7: kylepost ($187.75)
Seat 8: Nnnguy ($68.25)
Seat 9: TeraT ($208.25)
dmejias18 posts the small blind of $1
kylepost posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Ah Kh]
Nnnguy folds
TeraT raises to $4
Hero raises to $12
TexCTT folds
Scuba1127 folds
Villian raises to $20
LadyCope folds
dmejias18 folds
kylepost calls $18
TeraT folds
GoQuakers calls $8
*** FLOP *** [5s Js Ad]
kylepost checks
Hero bets $116.15, and is all in
Villian calls $116.15
kylepost folds
Hero shows [Ah Kh]
Villian shows [As Ac]
*** TURN *** [5s Js Ad] [7s]
GoQuakers: nh
*** RIVER *** [5s Js Ad 7s] [2h]
Hero shows a pair of Aces
Villian shows three of a kind, Aces
Villian wins the pot ($294.30) with three of a kind, Aces

In retrospect, since the Villian is pretty tight I should have put him on QQ-AA with his raise, but when the A came on the flop, I weighted KK too much. Easy to see in retrospect, but seems like this type of player is going to fold his KK and call with anything that beats me. My question is if I should have lead with a smaller bet on the flop (somewhat difficult because the pot is relatively large) or if I am destined to bust here. My general problem is that I seem to be running into sets when I flop an A or K with AK and find all my chips in before I can assess what the other player is holding. I seem like a typical donkey that is so anxious to get it all in when I hit this flop that I am paying a heavy price. Certainly I have made money from bigger donkeys that call with AQ or AJ, but more often than not I am seeing a set or two pair. Any line to probe and lay this down without being to weak-tight?

[Big_Jim]

Check/raise. That way, at least you get his continuation bet, when he has KK/QQ.

[TomorMatt]

I thought about the check raise, but the two spades worried me and did not want to give a free card. What percentage of 2+2 players would go broke in this situation?

[leafsrock]

check-raise the flop. u might want to delete your screen name. u forgot to change one of them to "hero".

[thedustbustr]

TomorMatt,

We all go broke here. Why are you worrying about two spades? The only likely hand that contains spades is AK[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Thats 1 hand out of their entire range. If it gets 4bet preflop, you usually don't have to worry about draws.

As to your push, you telegraphed your hand. The only thing that calls your push is another AK and AA (maybe AQ but this villain seems tighter than that). I'd check/call flop, and bet turn (checking turn to bet river is good too).

The only way I'm laying down top pair or overpair to a possible set is when it wasn't raised so much preflop (leaving only slightly more than a PSB on flop) - if the action goes PF: raise, call; flop: lead, raise, reraise, push or flop: lead,raise,call turn: check,bet you are often beat.

Also, don't post results, and use a hand converter to fix all the screennames and give pot size.

[TomorMatt]

My bad, but I cannot find a converter for FullTilt hands. Anyway, I appreciate the response. The point about worrying about spades is something I had not contemplated, but considering the action, that is totally logical.

[AJFenix]

With this hand in a rereraised pot I am generally going to pray for a flush/straight or FDraw / FDraw + gutshot flop, because my pair outs are a big can of reverse implied odds. Once it got rereraised preflop, opponent's hand range is pretty narrow. I would likely check/call flop and check turn on a nonspade (my action from there would vary). On a spade, such as here, I would bet it because KsKx may come along and I don't want to give it a free card.