Backing off with AQ

[Choparno]

So I'm losing 0.99 BB/hand with AQo over 22k hands at 3/6. Maybe a sample size issue, maybe not. The losses have tended to come by overplaying one-pair hands, sometimes in reraised pots. This hand was an attempt NOT to overplay it in just such a situation.

Villain was 22/16/3.8, kind of a tagfish. Nothing really out of line that I had noticed. With stack sizes, I did not want to play for stacks on this board, so have checked flop hoping to see it checked through and keep pot under control. That hasn't happened.

On turn, I am left with CRAI or fold. I have under-repped my hand for sure but had a bad feeling about this. Advice? If I'm not going to play this stronger vs this opponent with these stack sizes, should I just be folding preflop OOP?

Texas Hold'em NL $3/$6

CO $558.00
BTN $853.25
SB $594.00
Hero (BB) $1,293.00

Preflop: Hero is BB with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
CO calls $6, BTN raises $27, Hero raises $98, CO folds, BTN calls $71

Flop: 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($205)
Hero checks, BTN bets $140, Hero calls $140

Turn: 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($485)
Hero checks, BTN bets $280, Hero?

[ninjia3x]

I think you toasty

[praios]

why no contibet=?

c/r

[danjohncochane]

Fold preflop! You must be on crack mate.

[WRR1986]

I would almost certainly lead this flop if you intend to call a 2/3 pot size bet like you did, now you are still lacking any sort of substantial information but you have allowed the pot to get large with what could likely be a second best hand. All you have seen is that the button has played aggressively in position, I don't think that you have enough information to put him on a narrow range, and even though you may be ahead, you probably are better off folding her fairly deep against someone who has not been caught out of line.
FWIW I would bet flop every time, you are too much in the dark with this line of play.

[cassette]

lol at the responses.

This looks pretty good so far. CR the turn AI. It is difficult for a 22/16/4 tag fish to have an ace here. AK would have likely 4 bet and I would hope you would have a read otherwise if he is a regular. Villains will bet all sorts of [censored] after you check this flop.

[soah]

when you take this line you need to either be prepared to play a big pot or be pretty confident that you know exactly how far your guy will go with a bluff before giving up

[all_in_lam]

4-betting with AQ is pretty much the same as 4-betting with 65 here

[ogdundar]

Bet the flop and proceed with extreme caution if called. If you are taking the chosen line you are playing for stacks unless you have a read on this guy as really straightforward postflop. I would consider you easy to exploit if you are going to check this flop and then play it weakly from turn and out.

[centgas]

IMO if we bet this flop we get called by nothing worse. Does the benefit of taking the flop down /finding out if we are likely to be behind early/worrying an AK enough to slow down by representing AAorKK outweigh the money he will give by betting when he is behind trying to represent an ace?