No pair... pot, make one pair... pot pot

[Jason Strasser (strassa2)]

MP open raises in a 6-max game to 80, I call on the button with A9s. HU to the flop of Q76 with Q and 6 of clubs. He checks. This usually means, in my mind, that I’m against a hand that is giving up or a hand that is trying to keep the pot small and manageable for showdown. Occasionally, this is a big hand that wants to CR the flop or deceive me on the flop for later streets, but often enough this is just a player giving up. I generally make opponents work to win pots on me when I am in position, and this ultimately leads to people just not wanting to get involved with me in smaller pots with nothing. So I bet 180 and he instantly calls.

This speed of a call is generally a weak made hand, or a draw… Generally.

The turn is the Ace of spades, putting two spades on board. He checks and I bet 380.

Why did I bet? It’s definitely not to charge a draw; that is not my main concern. I bet for value. Sure, there is a chance I get check raised, but we are deep enough (100bb) where my opponent will not feel pot committed, and where my opponent could easily check-call with a hand that he felt was best. Many opponents are hesitant to put me on an ace here after betting the flop. If I get CR’d, it’s usually by a better hand.

He calls after some deliberation. This can mean anything… He has a Q and doesn’t believe me. He could be drawing, he could’ve made top pair. He might even still have a very big hand that is playing a bit slow.

The river brings a total blank, a red deuce. He instantly checks.

At this point, I feel like my hand is almost definitely good. In this spot, if I bet ½ pot, my opponent will probably think my range is something like a very big hand, a good one pair hand, or a bluff. If I pot it, my opponent is much more likely to think very big hand, or no hand at all (ie one of the billions of conveniently missed draws). It makes a call with anything that beats a pure bluff more likely, in my opinion. Some will argue that I’m going to blow a second best hand away too often by potting this river, I disagree… Especially with the overall package I present to the table when I play. Another benefit of a full-pot bet here is that I’m less likely to get CR bluffed, which actually is a very strong move against a player like me.

If I lose the hand, it’s likely to a stronger ace that decided to check-call the flop, which isn’t that uncommon.

I bet 1100.

How’s my line/thought process?

edit: i never had a draw in this hand