50NL - AJ top pair facing large river bet

[evagaba]

Poker Stars, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker Hand History Converter

Villian betting river is 26/20/1.5 over 46 hands. No other reads.

Should I have bet the turn?

CO: $50
BTN: $139.75
SB: $166.85
BB: $50
UTG: $20.40
Hero (MP): $63.10

Pre-Flop: A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG calls $0.50, <font color="red">Hero raises to $2.50</font>, 3 folds, BB calls $2, UTG calls $2

Flop: ($7.75) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 Players)
BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="red">Hero bets $7</font>, BB calls $7, UTG folds

Turn: ($21.75) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: ($21.75) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">BB bets $18</font>, Hero ?

[Check_The_Nuts]

your flop bet size is probably really bad.

Yeah I'd likely fold river since u didn't give anymore info.

[evagaba]

[ QUOTE ]
your flop bet size is probably really bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

??? Please explain.

[Check_The_Nuts]

too big, its a dry flop with several opponents in and you have one pair.

[runfor1]

b.c your causing the pot to get too big here vs. 2 ppl and only one pair. as played i think i fold river

[sightless]

bet a little less on the flop. I like 5 or so By betting so much you are just encouraging all the hands that you dominate to fold. You also keep the pot smaller, and have an easier decision on the river.



the more solid the opponent the more likely that I am folding on that river.

[RobTheDuck]

PF - good
Flop - I would bet $4 to $5 here. The board is really dry, so you're either way ahead or way behind.
Turn - I like the check behind for pot control.
River - seems like a fold to me - it looks like he was hoping you'd fire again on the turn and is trying to make up for lost value.

[evagaba]

Solid advice guys. Thanks

[MathGeek]

I disagree a bit with the "official" line. I like the flop bet. You basically have one chance to win this pot (without the miracle jack hitting the board). You took a pot-sized shot at it, and folded one villain. Well, I don't think you need any more information - you've got all you need after the flop. Check behind on the turn, c/f the fold. You're beat.

I wonder about a limp preflop. It appears the BB would have limped, too. Then a big bet or rr on the flop would give more information. I don't like playing AJo for a raise until the cutoff, for this exact reason. You tend to see the flop behind in the hand with a difficult time catching up.

[Check_The_Nuts]

[ QUOTE ]
I disagree a bit with the "official" line. I like the flop bet. You basically have one chance to win this pot (without the miracle jack hitting the board). You took a pot-sized shot at it, and folded one villain. Well, I don't think you need any more information - you've got all you need after the flop. Check behind on the turn, c/f the fold. You're beat.

I wonder about a limp preflop. It appears the BB would have limped, too. Then a big bet or rr on the flop would give more information. I don't like playing AJo for a raise until the cutoff, for this exact reason. You tend to see the flop behind in the hand with a difficult time catching up.

[/ QUOTE ]

your thinking would be much more correct if hero held a weaker hand than AQ. Your too often good here, and would like to get another value bet out of weaker hands. betting so big on the flop actually prevents you from manipulating the pot size better.