[Hock_]

[ QUOTE ]
100/200 6 max on pokerstars. The big blind is an unknown to me, so far hasnt' done anything weird in one trip around the table.
Folded to me, I raise A4o on the button. Big blind calls.

Flop 258 rainbow.

check, I bet, bb checkraises.

3 bet or call? Is this a spot where you want to vary your play? Am I making a move on the turn?

Mostly I'm wondering if one particular line has a lot of EV here, or if the various lines you can take are pretty close and you just want to mix up your play.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is an absurdly common situation, since it's a prime re-steal situation for BB since he assumes you are more likely than not to have big cards and the board is so low and ragged. So here's the anaylsis, I think:

He has: (a) air, (b) a pair (or better), (c) some flavor of str8 draw.

If he has (a), there's no point in raising at all, since you want him to keep firing.

If he has (b), then most opponents are folding no matter what, so there's no point in raising unless you hit your A. 3-betting the flop is an option, but only if you're committed to getting to showdown and you think it'll buy you a free card, which often it won't in the 1/2 game, at least on Party.

If he has (c), then I think the best approach is to call the flop raise and then raise the turn if any card other than a 3,4,6,7, or 9 hits. If re-raised I think you have to fold barring a really strong read.

Barring a particular read, then, my default is to call the flop raise and then raise the turn (and check through the river unimproved) if the turn is a T or higher. If any of the scare cards (in (c), above) hit the turn and BB bets, I usually fold.