NL50 BB with AQs facing raise from MP

[oliverm]

Villain is 31/18/3 after only 16 hands.
I've only played about 2000 hands at NL50 and was not sure whether I played this correctly..

Do we reraise preflop? (or fold?)
Do we check raise flop?
As played do we now call/raise/push/fold?

MP - $53.69
CO - $22.24
BUTTON - $49.96
SB - $96.21
HERO (BB) - $44.24
UTG - $2.50

Dealing [A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]] to HERO
UTG calls $0.50, MP raises to $2, 3 folds, HERO calls $2, 1 fold
Dealing Flop ($4.25) [Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]]
HERO bets $4, MP raises to $8.50, Hero...

[CyberianBull]

1. I like 3-betting here pf for a few reasons:
a. AQs is strong enough especially against villain's loose raise
b. Defines your hand better... so if he 4-bets you it's an easy fold
c. AQs is not something you want to play OOP, so the best thing you can do is 3-bet and take control of the pot

2. Does Villains C-bet a lot? If yes (>70%) I opt to c/r here.

3. Great flop for you and not many hands beat you. He could be raising here with Q10-QK, 1010, 99, JJ, etc. Since you didn't 3-bet pf, you don't know where you stand but I think you are ahead of his range here (you are only losing to 55, 77, QQ, AA, KK ( i doubt he would raise with Q7, Q5). I think re-raising him is fine here, 'cause if he does have Q10-QK, we don't want him drawing to a 2-pair cheaply.

[Hail Eris]

This flop is so dry and you're HU agsinst the PFR. Leading here sucks. C/R if you C/R-bluff flops like this; C/C if you don't.

Call as played. It's basically a minraise and he could easily be bluffing since you donked into him on this dry board.

[orange]

cyberian,
not a bad thought process. not necessarily agreeing with b. why would you want to define your hand more? (i generally like keeping my ranges random).

OP,
I like 3-betting PF for many of the reasons that Cyber stated. We're ahead alot, AQ is hard to play oop, etc.

Given the way we got there, I don't mind c/c-ing and taking it to the turn. Though c/r-ing and not folding is not a bad line too.

Leading is okay too- just have a plan if you're raised. (you should really think about your plan for leading too because very often will the PFR raise a flop lead like you're doing now). i don't really like bet/folding (bluffing) with TPTK so i'm all in i guess. (either shove now or just call and c/r ai on the turn).

[anthb7210p]

Grunching-

This is a situation where I would not 3bet preflop because I don't like playing for big pots OOP.

I would fold to the reraise on the dry flop that you potted. His raise screams overpair or set, so I think you can find a better spot. Also, if you just call, then what do you do on the next street? If you check, he will likely fire a huge bet at you and if you donk then your probably going to get reraised. Since you can't control the pot OOP fold and wait for a better spot to play for stacks.

[That Fish]

[ QUOTE ]

Leading is okay too- just have a plan if you're raised. (you should really think about your plan for leading too because very often will the PFR raise a flop lead like you're doing now). i don't really like bet/folding (bluffing) with TPTK so i'm all in i guess. (either shove now or just call and c/r ai on the turn).

[/ QUOTE ]

Shoving seems like lighting money on fire for some reason here. We're hoping for KQ? Is he calling a push with anything less than this?

Hero donks into him and he raises, which every time (at least lately) I see this I get shown 2p+.

I'd vote for pot control, let him try to push you off the pot with 1/2 pot sized bets or whatever he bluffs with, and get to showdown if possible. OOP etc..

[filsteal]

3-betting preflop would make this hand develop a lot better. You can c-bet most flops and take it down quite a bit, and when you flop TP you can feel comfortable getting the money in.

As played, what are you doing when you don't flop TP or a FD (which is most of the time)? Check-folding? AQ has more value than that here.

[orange]

that fish,
if he has 2p+ in this spot (ie. Q7/57), i think that KQ is definitely in his calling range, wouldn't you agree?

i think that TPTK vs. this type of player is enough to play for stacks. just a matter of how we get there.

[Danielmk]

The good part about reraising preflop is that it will give you good information about his hand. If he 4bets allin you can easily fold. If you get called he will have AQs+ TT+.
So lead bet on the flop after that. If you get called, bet 2/3 pot on the turn if a K doesnt come up. If he is still calling you, you will have to check the river. And on any street if he raises, you will have to reevaluate the situation and decide whether or not to move in.
And without the 3bet preflop, the way you played the hand after all, you can call his min raise on the flop an c/f on the turn. Folding the flop to a minraise with TPTK is too weak.