Party 2-4, settle a disagreement?

[Yerma]

Some friends whose poker opinion I respect greatly differed with me over this one. They think betting the flop followed by the stop-n-go is no good. I dunno where they are coming from. Can someone explain this to me?

PartyPoker - $2/$4 Texas - 10 players (Converter: PGC)

Button is 19/14/9.0 (36)
BB is 26/16/- (19)
LP1 is 50/13/2.2 (62) with these notes:
JTo utg,raises light(A5s MP multiway)
CO is 68/0/0.7 (53) with these notes:
76o,J3s,J8o,any 2 suited,open calls button(JJ),overdefends(83s BB)>

Hero is MP2 with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

PreFlop
<font color="blue">UTG folds</font>, <font color="blue">UTG+1 folds</font>, <font color="blue">MP1 folds</font>, <font color="green">Hero Calls</font>, <font color="blue">MP3 folds</font>, <font color="green">LP1 Calls</font>, <font color="green">CO Calls</font>, <font color="green">Button Calls</font>
<font color="blue">SB folds</font>, <font color="green">BB checks</font>

(5 players) FLOP: A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ( Pot Size: 2.75 BB )
<font color="green">BB checks</font>, <font color="red">Hero BETS</font>, <font color="green">LP1 Calls</font>, <font color="green">CO Calls</font>, <font color="red">Button RAISES</font>
<font color="blue">BB folds</font>, <font color="green">Hero Calls</font>, <font color="green">LP1 Calls</font>, <font color="green">CO Calls</font>

(4 players) TURN: 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ( Pot Size: 6.75 BB )
<font color="red">Hero BETS</font>, <font color="green">LP1 Calls</font>, <font color="blue">CO folds</font>, <font color="green">Button Calls</font>

(3 players) RIVER: K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ( Pot Size: 9.75 BB )
<font color="red">Hero BETS</font>, <font color="blue">LP1 folds</font>, <font color="blue">Button folds</font>

Final Pot:10.75 BB

[mr_whomp]

I like the turn bet in case the button was trying to buy a free card with his flop bet. However on the river I think you should have checked.

The reason I think the river is a check is as follows.

If you have the best hand it is not likely that the other two players are able to call in this situation. So by betting you are hoping to either to split a pot with another ace (you both have aces and 2's K kicker) or to fold a worse hand.

Basically this is a perfect situation for inducing a bluff from a busted flush draw.

[Niediam]

Raise or fold preflop.

Three bet the flop. Button's AF is insane high - small sample size but I'll go with it for now.

If you are not going to raise then I think the rest of your line is fine but only because the turn fixed some of your kicker problems.

[Nick C]

I probably 3-bet the flop. It kind of seems like Button would have raised with an ace preflop (although it is possible he's got some low suited ace like you). Also, facing the loosies with two cold could be worth doing right now, before they get to see another card. (Facing them with a turn lead gives them approximately the same odds, since the bets double, but does give them a chance to improve in the meantime).

Anyway, though, given that you just called the flop, I think the turn lead is all right. There is the danger that Button will take a free card, in this 4-handed pot, if he's drawing.

I'm not crazy about the open limp with A5s from MP (I would have folded), but with the loosies behind you, I don't think it's horrible or anything.

[mowz]

That converter is ugly. What was the question?

[Pog0]

I like it. The turn is a very good card for you, the difficulty arises if you get raised again (to which I would usually fold as long as I'm not being exploited in this tendancy)... river bet can't be bad. You've pulled ahead of AQ and the only aces you're behind have had you the whole way. You're seeing calls from Jx and Kx too often to pass up this betting opportunity.