Playing tricksy vs. a rock w/ AA

[Kyriefurro]

Villain is...strange. He's TAG preflop and then shuts down post flop. I think he's trying to nut-peddle, so I've been playing against him like he is. On the other hand he's made some really odd plays from time to time - like raising with A8o OOP and then calling down on a AQTr board (stupid runner-runner 8's [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]). Maybe he's trying to "mix things up" and just doesn't understand the concept. Statwise he's 19/6/0.8 after 1200 hands.

0.50/1.00 NLHE 6-max (5 players)

Stacks:
Hero - $224
BB - $109

Hero is on the button w/ A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Preflop: UTG folds, CO folds, <font color="red">Hero raises to $6</font>, SB folds, <font color="red">BB raises to $11</font>, Hero calls.

<font color="blue">A couple of notes here. My original PFR size is my normal play here. I open-raise to 6BB in late position with all PP and SC's 78s or higher. Also, normally I'll push AA into a 3-bet without thinking, but villains seen a lot of play against me, and might remember this. He's folding almost all hands if I push. So I decided to call.</font>

($22.50) Flop <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>: 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
SB bets $13, <font color="red">Hero raises to $26</font>, <font color="red">SB re-raises to $98 (all-in)</font>, Hero says "Whoah! I didn't expect that!" and ........?

Again, there's not much about how I played this hand that is standard for me, including my min-raise on the flop. Villain's push caught me by surprise and worried me a bit since he's so bloody passive post flop.

Also, my play here seems obvious to me, but I'd still like to hear other opinions. Maybe the "obvious" answer is the wrong answer. So...do I call, and why?

[PayoffWiz]

Call. The only hand you have to realistically be worried about is JJ. You beat the rest of his range, which really seems to be either QQ or KK.

[antidan444]

This is one of those spots I'd reraise preflop believing villain will often come along, since his range for raising to $11 is probably pretty tight. It also makes postflop play easy. As played, raise flop to $35 or so and call the push. He could have AK hearts, KK, QQ or you crushed.

[Kyriefurro]

[ QUOTE ]
This is one of those spots I'd reraise preflop believing villain will often come along, since his range for raising to $11 is probably pretty tight. It also makes postflop play easy. As played, raise flop to $35 or so and call the push. He could have AK hearts, KK, QQ or you crushed.

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I agree with everything you say, and this is how I would normally play it. However, THIS particular villain tends to play extra carefully against me, and if I show any stregth at all, he's folding almost everything I beat. I really want to try to string him along as much as possible. Which is why I tried to mix things up.

[ThePortuguee]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is one of those spots I'd reraise preflop believing villain will often come along, since his range for raising to $11 is probably pretty tight. It also makes postflop play easy. As played, raise flop to $35 or so and call the push. He could have AK hearts, KK, QQ or you crushed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with everything you say, and this is how I would normally play it. However, THIS particular villain tends to play extra carefully against me, and if I show any stregth at all, he's folding almost everything I beat. I really want to try to string him along as much as possible. Which is why I tried to mix things up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mixing things up is one thing but I don't think this is the spot for it. And incidentally nothing you did in this hand is "obvious."

Starting with preflop, the guy raises is 19/6 over 1200 hands. That 6 means if he's reminraising he's got the goods. When you say hes folding almost everythign I beat, remember that you beat everything (except, obviously, the other two aces), but I don't agree with that. He's not going to fold KK, he's probalby not folding QQ or even AK. People like this VERY often hold out for hands like that and look to push. Threebetting preflop seems clear.

On the flop, you need to do better than a minraise. what the hell does a minraise accomplish? Make it like 35-40.

As played, call and stack QQ-KK most of the time.

If he has JJ then just suck out, d'uh.

[Kyriefurro]

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Mixing things up is one thing but I don't think this is the spot for it. And incidentally nothing you did in this hand is "obvious."

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Your misinterpretting what I mean by obvious. I'm referring to my decission on the flop once he's pushed. You're correct. Nothing about my play before that point is "obvious" which was exactly my intent against this villain.

[homeslice]

I'm calling as well.

[TheIrishThug]

I think it's the minraise that is getting you in this spot (which is probly still a call). If you make a real raise and he pushes, you are giving yourself better odds on the call.

[Leaky Game]

I agree.

First, just because you three bet pf doesn't mean that you have to push.
Second, what's with the minraise? You're not pushing him off any drawing hands (even though I don't think he has one)

Does JJ even fall into 6%? You're posting, so I assume it does here but I call and don't feel bad about it considering his range and the fact you have the Ace of hearts.

Not trying to thread hijack but is there somewhere I can find out what 6% entails? (ie, if I only raise AA-QQ and AK what % does that equal?) I understand people switch it up but I'm looking for a reference point.

[Kyriefurro]

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First, just because you three bet pf doesn't mean that you have to push.

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This wouldn't be a 3-bet, it's a 4-bet and whether I push or not it pretty much tells villain I've got AA/KK. I'd really love to keep QQ/JJ/AK/AQ, etc. in the hand for a bit longer.


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Second, what's with the minraise? You're not pushing him off any drawing hands (even though I don't think he has one)

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Again, I'm NOT trying to get him to fold. I agree with you. He almost certainly isn't on a draw.

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Not trying to thread hijack but is there somewhere I can find out what 6% entails? (ie, if I only raise AA-QQ and AK what % does that equal?) I understand people switch it up but I'm looking for a reference point.

[/ QUOTE ]

While it's never possible to know exactly which 6% of his hands he thinks are raise-worth, one trick I use is to look at the hands PokerStove selects. If you click on a player and go to the second tab (the on labeled "preflop"), you'll notice at the bottom that there's a box which shows the percentage of cards selected. You can change the number in that box and PS will automatically select the to cards which match that percent.

Keep in mind that PS is using mathematical criteria to make the selection. Villains are never so precise and some are outright contrary. I've got a note on one villain who I play against regularly. His PFR is only 4%, which is usually rather scary. But his PFR card selection is almost completely random (maybe he uses a timer or something), and he almost always slowplays AA/KK/AA. Instead he likes to raise with 52o and watch everyone fold. Maybe he gets a kick out of it.