Well, he\'s never folding a pair, but fire anyways? (NL50)
 

Villain is unknown (blah blah blah about bluffing unknowns). I called preflop because he 3bet like a pussy (comments on this are welcome). I called on the flop because I thought I had some clean outs, but I might be getting into trouble with this, I'm not really sure. The turn was a bet/fold and I felt I had to bet once he checked given that all I had was A high. On the river he doesn't have enough left behind to fold a pair, but is it worth the river shove to try to fold AK with a better club draw and all the hands I beat so I don't have to show this down? Thoughts on every street is basically what I'm looking for though.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

MP2 ($70.30)
MP3 ($30.75)
Hero ($59.05)
Button ($41.75)
SB ($40.45)
BB ($26.50)
UTG ($215.75)
UTG+1 ($20.45)
MP1 ($16.85)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP2 calls $0.50, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $2.5</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to $4.5</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 folds, Hero calls $2.

Flop: ($10) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $5.5</font>, Hero calls $5.50.

Turn: ($21) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $11.5</font>, SB calls $11.50.

River: ($44) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero bets $37.55 (he's got like $18.xx left)

Re: Well, he\'s never folding a pair, but fire anyways? (NL50)
 

I like turn and river play, if he didn't play a big flopped flush or JJ very strange I can't see what he can call you with here. Except for KcKx or AcAx, but wouln't he raise those bigger PF?
On the other hand, I think your flop call is at least questionable. You say you have at least some clean outs but honestly I don't see those: you could be easily dominated by AK with a club, by a big pair or already running into a made flush.

Re: Well, he\'s never folding a pair, but fire anyways? (NL50)
 

[ QUOTE ]
I called preflop because he 3bet like a pussy (comments on this are welcome).

[/ QUOTE ]

I often wonder what to do in this spot, particularly with an easily dominated hand like AQ. With a pair or SCs, it's pretty easy to call the stupid thing and flop it or drop it, but with hands like this you end up with... hands like this. I still call, though, but I'm wondering if that's a mistake.

[ QUOTE ]
I called on the flop because I thought I had some clean outs, but I might be getting into trouble with this, I'm not really sure.

[/ QUOTE ]

If this is true, then...

[ QUOTE ]
The turn was a bet/fold and I felt I had to bet once he checked given that all I had was A high.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you should check and take the free card. It's also remotely possible that your hand is best at the moment.

[ QUOTE ]
On the river he doesn't have enough left behind to fold a pair, but is it worth the river shove to try to fold AK with a better club draw and all the hands I beat so I don't have to show this down?

[/ QUOTE ]

If he were full stacked this would have a much better chance of working. He's already put in over half his stack. Does he hold specifically AK with a club more than 30% of the time? It might be close.

Re: Well, he\'s never folding a pair, but fire anyways? (NL50)
 

I'm not a fan of any street post-flop. Flop call is okay, but I hate betting this turn and/or river against an unknown.

Re: Well, he\'s never folding a pair, but fire anyways? (NL50)
 

[ QUOTE ]
I can't see what he can call you with here. Except for KcKx or AcAx, but wouln't he raise those bigger PF?


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think we can limit an unknown to overpairs solely with clubs in them. This is possible 2 red aces or 2 red kings (or any combo without a club), that gets passive and scared once its called on the flop. That being said I don't think you have enough equity on the river here to get a fold.

Re: Well, he\'s never folding a pair, but fire anyways? (NL50)
 

PF: "he bet like a pussy" - surely true but that doesn't mean he's betting light. I call here with a pair for certain and thank him for tipping his hand, but not with AQ.

Flop: fine.

Turn, here I think I just take the free card and give up without the required river club.

River. OK, what have you represented to him? JJ/44/22.

Trouble is, if he hasn't got that message by now, he's hardly laying down QQ-AA at this point which is what I would put him on way more often than AK.

So, I like the flop but not much else. But, I'd be interested to hear your answers to the critiques.