$10k Live Event - Play along Street by street - AQo in SB

[StarRain]

I raise, one way is to define AQ. Another is to be the aggressor since both you were going to miss the flop completely at most times. Also, you had FE if it was just a typical button steal. To win the pot right there OOP is never a bad thing IMO. AQ is far ahead of his button raise range.

[betgo]

I think the money is shallow enough that I would reraise preflop. I would then call a push and usually get the money in postflop. If you reraise to 2K, your stack will be a little less than twice the pot if villain flat calls. I don't think being OOP is a big disadvantage in this situation. I find it strange that OP says flat calling is obvious.

As played, I would probably check/call all the way against an aggressive opponent. The flop is actually domewhat dangerous. Villain could be ahead. Check/calling may let him draw out, but it seems the best alternative.

This flop would of course be much easier to play if you reraised preflop.

[ThePershore]

I agree with betgo for the most part, tho I think 2,000 pre is a bit strong - IMO 1,350 to 1,500 feels right.

[Fiksdal]

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This flop would of course be much easier to play if you reraised preflop.


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word

but this

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I would reraise preflop. I would then call a push


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I need some reasoning for.

We 3bet preflop 1.3x pot or something like that, and villain pushes. What range do you put him on, even considering the blind war? How do you defend a call?

[betgo]

I think it depends on your read on villain, but against an aggressive player, AQo should be ahead of pot odds on a 4-bet in a blinds war.

If you are not going to call a 4-bet, you should not reraise. Reraising AQ and folding to a 4-bet is awful.

[Foucault]

Stack sizes are great for a pre-flop 3-bet. You make it 1500, and Villain is faced with the prospect of calling off more than 10% of the effective stacks pre-flop, making a 4-bet that jeopardizes 10K against a pretty TAGgish opponent to go after the 2K currently in the pot, or giving up. These are all good scenarios for you and bad scenarios for him.

If he does elect to 4-bet, it's a pretty easy fold. He's got to figure big pairs are a big part of your range, and a 4-bet is risking so much relative to the pot that he really can't do it without a big hand of his own. If he calls, I'd continuation bet most flops, but checks if an Ace hits or if a very coordinated/worrisome board comes out, plan being to check-raise if we have a decent piece of it and check-fold if not.

As played, check-raise is much better than leading on this flop with these stacks. A lead here looks like you want to 3-bet all in, which means that unless he wants you to 3-bet all, in which case you're in trouble, he isn't going to give you the opportunity. Most of the time, he'll either fold or peel, and you don't want to see a turn card, because he will give you headaches on any scary card, whether it hits him or not. If you check, he'll almost certainly bet, and then you can raise and effectively end the hand here (ie call a push or move in on any turn if he just calls).

Good post, OP.

[kurtkatt]

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Stack sizes are great for a pre-flop 3-bet. You make it 1500, and Villain is faced with the prospect of calling off more than 10% of the effective stacks pre-flop, making a 4-bet that jeopardizes 10K against a pretty TAGgish opponent to go after the 2K currently in the pot, or giving up. These are all good scenarios for you and bad scenarios for him.

If he does elect to 4-bet, it's a pretty easy fold. He's got to figure big pairs are a big part of your range, and a 4-bet is risking so much relative to the pot that he really can't do it without a big hand of his own. If he calls, I'd continuation bet most flops, but checks if an Ace hits or if a very coordinated/worrisome board comes out, plan being to check-raise if we have a decent piece of it and check-fold if not.

As played, check-raise is much better than leading on this flop with these stacks. A lead here looks like you want to 3-bet all in, which means that unless he wants you to 3-bet all, in which case you're in trouble, he isn't going to give you the opportunity. Most of the time, he'll either fold or peel, and you don't want to see a turn card, because he will give you headaches on any scary card, whether it hits him or not. If you check, he'll almost certainly bet, and then you can raise and effectively end the hand here (ie call a push or move in on any turn if he just calls).

Good post, OP.

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all this sounds very good.

but im a bit concerned by this flop and all the hands that will quite often check behind the flop here. hands like J9, JT, AT, K9. it sounds like this player might raise us with those hands quite often if we lead trying to end it there or buy a free river (you think these hands will rather peel here in fear of b3b the majority of times?). but might very well take a free card with them if checked to.

but your arguments for c/r instead, ie ending the hand there sounds pretty sweet too, any card over 8 pretty much sucks... but my fear here is that we will quite often check, check flop, some card that semi-sucks for us comes on turn and we will check call there and will have to check/fold river quite often. But maybe that doesnt really hurt us that much??

[0evg0]

3bet preflop (and obv fold to 4bet)

[Pudge714]

Call preflop.
Check call flop.

[betgo]

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3bet preflop (and obv fold to 4bet)

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Why fold to a 4-bet. If villain were a tight straightforward player, this would be correct. However, I think a 4-bet in this situation often just means he has a real hand and may not even be a real hand. You are getting significant pot odds.

Since the 4-bet decision is fairly close, I revise my opinion, and say flat call.

Reraise/folding is an awful use of AQ and worse than flat calling or reraising and being ready to go allin.