3/6 Stud High- Dead KK Against an Ace

[Jeff76]

No reads on villain.

What is my plan here- not just for this street, but for the rest of the hand? I kind of feel like if I check here I'm going to induce him to bet into me the rest of the way, and even if he doesn't have aces he isn't really in bad shape if he has anything at all. OTOH, if I bet and he calls, I don't really know that I've accomplished very much since he's never far behind if he has anything worth calling with on 3rd.

Anyway, I hate playing a dead hand so I'd love to get some thoughts on what you'd be thinking at this point.

As an aside- is 3rd OK? And how should I handle a raise from the ace? My raise looks an awful lot like a steal with the dead kings and my late position.

7 Card Stud High ($3/$6), Ante $0.25 (converter)

3rd Street - (0.67 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 2: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 3: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 4: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 6: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 7: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___raises

4th Street - (3.00 SB)

Seat 3: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___checks
Hero: K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ????

[Turn Prophet]

Bet. Very good chance your pair is best unless your opponent is slowplaying.

[Andy B]

With the quarter ante, I wouldn't have a problem if you decided to muck this on third. I think it's worth raising and hoping to buy the antes, but you're not giving up that much if you don't.

It's heads-up, and the other guy only called on third. I see a couple of possibilities:

1) He has Aces and has decided to slow-play.
2) He has noticed the dead Kings and made a scientific determination that you're FOS.
3) He sucks at poker and has crap.

I think that 2 and 3 are more likely than 1. I'd keep betting, and if he has the temerity to check-raise you, you can probably give it up. Your side-cards are dead too.