Good turn check w/ strong hand in big pot?

[SomethingClever]

Thought this was a good spot to check, I obviously can't fold, maybe he'll hang himself with a worse hand. Thoughts?

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Hold'em Cash Game
$0.50/$1 Blinds
6 Players
LegoPoker HH Converter

<font color="black">Hero (SB): $111.60</font>
BB: $121.50
UTG: $91.85
MP: $113.30
CO: $176.90
BTN: $98.50

<font color="black">Preflop:</font> Hero is dealt A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (6 Players)
UTG calls $1, MP folds, CO calls $1, <font color="red">BTN raises to $5</font>, <font color="red">Hero raises to $16</font>, 3 folds, BTN calls $11

<font color="black">Flop:</font> ($35) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">Hero bets $25</font>, BTN calls $25

<font color="black">Turn:</font> ($85) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
Hero checks....

[plan9]

I like it.

See yad's reply here.

[delta k]

I actually like a c/r all-in here if we can get it, otherwise I just check and give 88 an opp to give us more chips.

[2218]

With these stack sizes and Villain's super obvious hand range, I don't think betting is very necessary. If he checks behind, I'd open-push a lot of rivers.

[ev.]

The only reason to check this is to let him try and think the ace scared you, agaisnt an unknown dont just keep betting, or atleast make a weak lead and let him try and raise that and then come over the top, I don't like the check unless its a TRAP/PLAN! nh tho

[AbreuTime]

Depends on villain, and I check here a lot. But when playing against a villain who is capable of thinking of multiple levels, you can't always bet the A when you dont have it and check it when you do. So if villain is very aggro, I like a fake blocker sometimes (Later, that villain will respect your blockers).

[tannenj]

sure. i think betting's fine too.

[2218]

[ QUOTE ]
Depends on villain, and I check here a lot. But when playing against a villain who is capable of thinking of multiple levels, you can't always bet the A when you dont have it and check it when you do. So if villain is very aggro, I like a fake blocker sometimes (Later, that villain will respect your blockers).

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't understand the point of the block here.

His range is extremely defined:

I think it is A3/22/33/88+/the occasional flush draw (but that's very small part of his range since you have the A and the Q). He'll almost never got a AK since you have the A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and A2 is rare and crushed anyway, so that's a freebee.

That means you're either totally crushed (at most 2 outs)or totally crushing him (at most 2 outs). Unless this guy has an AF of 0.5, our money will go in pretty much no matter what if he puts us in. So it's just a question of how to get HIS money in to best effect.

The pot has $85 and you have effectively $65 left, so your options are pretty narrow.

1. You could piece-meal him in with a little bet on both the turn and river. But for the most part, this is extremely obvious and all but the most incompetent players will often catch on to it IMO.

2. You could push the turn. This requires two specific reads from Villain to be profitable IMO: he has to know you bluff aces fairly regularly AND he has to know that you have less than Ax AND some PP in your range when you reraise PF, since you have him beat with the former and would likely check with the latter. So against an unknown, I don't think this is optimal.

The other two follow with from a turn check. We'll assume the villain checks behind, since if he bets, we c/r always period, given stack sizes.

So we move on to:

3. Check with River small VB. Again, this VB would be very unusual since it would be about $30 into an $85 pot with only $35 left behind. Unless he's going to be super foldy to a push and konws that you can make small bluffs, this just doesn't seem worth it because:

4) Just open-push: Again, $65 left. Also, I think your opponent would be more likely to call since checking then open-pushing the river gives the added impression that you know he doesn't like that A. What if K or Q hits adding two overs to his PP? Then would you really push on that K or Q? Probably not, so it looks even more like you're trying to muscle him out of this pot (or you made a set). Finally, in the off chance that he has a weaker hand (like KQ or a FD), you give him a chance to make a second best hand).

I suppose c/r the river should be mentioned, but that's just wasted value for the most part, IMO.

So at the expense of giving him 5% chance to win, I think you gain a little more by checking the turn from his bluff snaps to gain value on it.

Thoughts?

[SomethingClever]

[ QUOTE ]
I think it is A3/22/33/88+/the occasional flush draw (but that's very small part of his range since you have the A and the Q). He'll almost never got a AK since you have the A and A2 is rare and crushed anyway, so that's a freebee.

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO his range should be weighted heavily toward JJ-KK. AK and AA are in there too, but you're right, they're less likely because of the A in my hand and the A on board.

A3, 22 and 33 are super unlikely IMO.

[hkrumnow]

yeah, good check...He could easily have a big Pair in the hole. He called your bet on the flop since it could easily have been a continuation bet on a dangerous flop. Now you appear to be afraid of what he holds. Maybe even afraid of the ace. I'd let him take over the betting on the turn and probably let time run down and then smooth call.

by the way, when someone calls then raises as you did, I put them on a big ace alot of the time. maybe a big pair. But limping is pretty dangerous with a big PP unless you are sure there will be a raise. I just wanted to keep in mind the holdings that he may be putting you on. He may very well assume you have the A.