NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

Played this hand earlier today and has been annoying me since. I would love some opinions on it. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Should I have folded preflop?
Was flop bet too big/small?
How should I have responded to the reraise?

Thanks for the help

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

MP1 ($29.45)
MP2 ($25)
Hero ($24)
Button ($27.15)
SB ($41.10)
BB ($25)
UTG ($22.80)
UTG+1 ($17.90)

Preflop: Hero is CO with J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP2 calls $0.25, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $1</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to $3</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 folds, Hero calls $2.

Flop: ($6.60) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4.5</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to $12</font> hero?

Re: NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

Hero folds. Probably you are dominated.

Re: NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

AJ is one of those hands that cannot stand much heat because it's easily dominated. Against a nit, average player, or an unknown, I'm folding this to the preflop three bet. Lags are a different animal.

As played fold.

Re: NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

the raise from the button really isn't quite high enough to push you off the hand pre flop. had you been raised to $4 I would say to dump it but pre flop play is fine IMO.

flop I think leading is the right play and the amount you bet is fine too. a pot sized bet would be too much as you don't need to pay that much to find out if you are beat. even a $4 bet would be fine. after you are raised a fold is the right play.

Re: NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

I would fold pre flop. I lost too much money with dominated aces allready.

As played, I don't think there's a hand that raises you on this flop and you can beat. Unless you read him as extremely loose aggressive you should fold.

If he shows you a bluff make a note and move on.

Re: NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

I definitely fold pre flop. The best you can hope for are really awkward spots like this.

Also your donk on the flop is pretty transparent for what it is. At this point I check/call a street and hope he clams up thinking you are trapping.

But I try to avoid these spots cos I suck at them [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: NL 25 AJ badly played?
 

Depends on read, but quite often this should be folded to the 3 bet preflop.

I don't see how the donk bet is that transparent for what it is. Quite often donk bets are sets IMO. Either way, it's a fold on the flop.