1/2 A2s, flop & river questions

[Hoover]

Hero opens A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] on Btn, SB 3bets (unknown, but seems active), Hero calls.

Flop is Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (7 bets)
SB checks, Hero checks?
<font color="blue"> I totally wasn't sure what to do here. Most guys autofire a flop after a PF3bet, so I was suspicious. In hindsight, I thought maybe I should've prepared myself to b/f or double barrel. </font>

Turn is 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3.5 bets).
SB bets, Hero calls.

River is K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (5.5 bets).
SB checks, Hero bets?
<font color="blue"> This was probably goofy. I figured on his turn bet he was SP'ing me, but now I figure no way he checks again, so I fired. </font>

[jstill]

i mite not bet that flop either but he could just ck fold 99 or something so maybe u should have bet since ur either toast and hes gonna play back at u so u can just fold or u could win the pot rite now with a worse hand drawing to only 3 outs. u could semibluff the turn but i wouldnt. on the river u mite get a fold out of AJ pocket pairs 10 10 and lower ect so betting is a viable play here.

[justkevin]

This looks like TT to me, which won't fold the way this hand played out, so check behind.

[DCWildcat]

How do you narrow his range to TT? He made one 3bet and 3 checks. His range seems pretty huge to me.

I see little reason to beat. Nothing worse is ever calling (lol), and it's mighty suspicious to hands that are even marginally better than yours when you bet. If you want to take a stab, you'll probably have to do it earlier than the river.

[stonescar]

If anything, I bet/fold the flop. I want to take the pot down immediately, and possibly take a freecard on that turn -&gt; fold river UI. I sometimes fire a second barrel on some turn cards against some opponents.

The way you played it, i probably just check behind river expecting to lose.

[NinaWilliams]

Dont bet this flop. In my experience this is almost always QQ or JJ trying to get tricky. Sometimes its TT or 99 but hes probably not folding.

[TomBrooks]

[ QUOTE ]
If anything, I bet/fold the flop. I want to take the pot down immediately, and possibly take a freecard on that turn -&gt; fold river UI. I sometimes fire a second barrel on some turn cards against some opponents.

The way you played it, i probably just check behind river expecting to lose.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can pretty safely B/F that flop because if you get c/r'd it's usually AQ or AJ. If you get called it could be worse...QQ or JJ. But if he has some other pocket pair he might not fold unless you bet the turn aggain. You probably don't want to do that unless an Ace or [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] comes though, and you get put yourself in more of a hole if you're getting slowplayed by a biggie that's going to pop the turn or if SB has a weak made hand and plans to call you down.

So, I like the flop checkthrough.

If you had bet the flop and just got a call, I would definately make the semibluff turn bet as that could fold out an underpair and you got lots of outs if you get called or check raised.

After checking the flop, I don't think you have enough fold equity on that low card turn to bet.

And on the river after you've checked the flop and turn, I don't think you have enough fold equity to fold any pocket pair for one last bet. You might fold A9, but since you were a button stealer preflop, you might not even be able to do that.

With the Q, J and now K out, it looks like every possible big ace has connected. There is only A9 or A8 that have missed. A7 has hit. I think you're looking at pocket pair most of the time and I doubt they fold to that river King enough for bluff equity.

[bobhalford]

I check behind this flop because I fear a check raise. Plus my hand needs a lot of help to call a turn bet, namely hitting a heart or a deuce (an ace might be a bad card).

On the river, I think you are getting called a lot. But if he doesn't like this KQJxx board after having 3bet preflop, he must have a hand like 88. That is why the river bluff might be a good thing. If he is this timid, to check the flop with 99/TT or whatever, he may fold on the river figuring you have to have two high cards like AK (prolly won't fold TT, but maybe 77/88. But you can't really expect villain to give you credit for a good hand considering how you didn't cap preflop (as AK would) and didn't bet the flop. AJ/AQ/KQ plays this hand differently by betting the flop. So there stands a good chance that villain will call the river with 77, not understanding how you could have played your hand this way (unless you have AT, which is the only unpaired hand that would play like hero's).

So to be honest, I don't think the river bluff is all that bad considering how your opponent doesn't seem all that thrilled with his hand. It's only got to work one in 5 times to break even so I can't see how this bluff could ever be bad. If he folds 88 20% of the time you are in the black.

[justkevin]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you narrow his range to TT? He made one 3bet and 3 checks. His range seems pretty huge to me

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't mean to imply that was his entire range, but I think it's a good guess. Depending on the villain, I usually expect AJ-AK, high pocket pairs, and some high suited cards like ATs. Of those, pocket pairs under J seem most likely to play this way.