How do you play in this situation?

[aceswild83]

This is a situation I've been having a lot of problems with lately and would be interested in hearing how you deal with.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (6 handed) internettexasholdem.com

SB ($650)
BB ($388)
UTG ($611)
Hero ($715)
CO ($328)
Button ($424)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $2.
1 fold, Hero raises to $16, 2 folds, SB calls $14, BB calls $12.

Flop: ($48) 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB bets $45, BB folds, Hero

SB is loose preflop and calls with 74s, 97s, 85s, 86s, offsuit connectors, Ax, and TT-22. he is smart agressive postflop and capable of betting out with strong draws, 2 pair+, 1 pair and sometimes just a gutshot/air. If you raise he will play his draws and sets in the same way, sometimes 3 betting AI and sometimes just calling. He will fold his weak hands to a raise.

If you call and the turn is a blank he will keep betting his sets and good draws most of the time but sometimes crai. he will usually c/f his weaker hands. If you call he will sometimes bluff the river.

If the turn is a 4, 7, 9 or spade he will keep betting all his hands most of the time, if you call he will keep betting river.

[aceswild83]

.

[billyjex]

Given your read I just call the flop since he can 3-bet with worse.

Turn can depend on a million things.

[ArturiusX]

Call and re-eval on the turn.

[Big_Jim]

This is, as they say, a tough one.

It's times like these that you hope that you have timing/bet sizing tells, although you will not, very often.

The situation is a little better, since you don't have to worry as much about the guy between you.

The thing about this hand is that it has really bad reverse implied odds. If we raise on the flop, we basically have to fold to a re-raise, because it's a pretty clear that this is a Barely Ahead/WB spot, and we're gonna be WB on a flop like this pretty often. Furthermore, a player like this is almost never gonna have a bare overpair, and be willing to play for stacks with it All of this points to trying to play a small pot.

As a default, against a player like this, I'm probably going to just call the flop, as I might do with a variety of hands, obviously, and especially something like the nut flush draw.

If a blank turn card comes, and he leads for pot again, and you think that he would do that with both the draws and the sets, you basically have to guess. It's a pretty damn tough spot to be in with aces, for the same reason as it is on the flop.

You can fold, which always seems so weak.

You can call one more time, giving them a cheap card, and praying for a blank. Problem, of course, is that there are a whole lot of non-blanks in the deck. If you don't think they'd fire that third barrell, you can check behind on the river. And furthermore, you can't guarantee that he won't bluff river, which he'll have a very nicely sized PSB to push the river. OTOH... if you think that he's wild enough that he might be shoving that river with enough whiffed draws or whatever, you can sometimes even call that bet, especially if you have a tell.

Or you can raise, but if you do, you either have to push, or make a raise that gives you sick odds to call his all in. Works great when he has a draw,(although, with very strong draws, they will often be correct to call) not so much when they have a set.

Another option is a min-raise for free showdown. Draws will be getting nice odds to call, and many people would just take those odds, and give up, while sets will almost always shove. This play works great against some, not so great against others. Gotta know your man.

So which play do you make? Frankly, you just have to make a read, and trust your gut.

Cliff's Notes: It depends.

[ArturiusX]

He sounds really uncomfortable about raising, and with good reason. So the options are either fold or call, but folding is kind of weak since this could be a wide range. Call and see if you can use your position against him I guess.

[Raven]

I call here too, raising just make it good for him to push his best hands and good draw and fold the ones you crush. He can be on a smaller overpair too, and its a good portion of his range. On the turn I like a call too usually, but I will raise som of the time against the most aggr opponent. If he push on the river its a tough one but I think a fold is the best play, but it is really an opponent read there.

[lilzeus]

From the looks of it, he is on a draw. I wouldnt say he has hit a set or 2 pair. A set or 2 pair from the SB is almost always an automatic check/raise to the big preflop aggressor, not a pot sized bet(like he is trying to protect against a flush draw). He could have top pair with a flush draw.
I guess I am the only one that thinks you should raise here rather than wait for the turn. You said 'sometimes' he will just call your raise. Well, this particular sometime you have AA so I think you have to raise him to get a better idea of where you are at and also to make him pay to draw.

[Big_Jim]

[ QUOTE ]
I wouldnt say he has hit a set or 2 pair. A set or 2 pair from the SB is almost always an automatic check/raise to the big preflop aggressor, not a pot sized bet(like he is trying to protect against a flush draw)

[/ QUOTE ]
This is just false, when dealing with a strong, aggressive player.