6-12 CP - Tough spot... Easy Laydown?

[The Earl of Ping]

Hand is from 6-12 at CP, which Hero plays regularly.

Hero is MP - UTG Berserko Limps, UTG+1 Limps, UTG+2 Limps, Hero MP raises A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Button Coldcalls, SB Coldcalls, BB Coldcalls. 7 riders, 7BB in pot ($79 actual after rake and JP drop)

Flop = 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

All players except for UTG are slightly below average to slightly above -
Hero plays TAG straightforward ABC poker as it will ALWAYS get the money in the CP 6-12.

Flop check to hero who checks, (ready to be done with hand -with 7 riders in this pot there is zero fold equity in betting the flop) Surprisingly it checks around all 7 players (!)

Board = 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Turn = A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Blinds check, UTG Berserko donks - UTG+1 folds - UTG+2 Raises - Hero with 5 active players behind him folds to pick a better spot - TAG ABC Poker will always get the money in this game. UTG+2 is not particularly wild or spazzy, but have seen him overplay hands (and what could he have put me on after I raised PF then checked the flop???)- but it's not him Hero is necessarily worried about, it's the 5 other players still to act and what card does Hero possibly want to see on the river - Hero thought for about 5 seconds about 3 betting to get HU, but after 10 seconds studying the other active players mucked the hand after it looked as if at least one of them was going to coldcall.

Your thoughts on PF-Flop-Turn course of action?

Will post results after a few replies -

[steakhouse]

Pf - standard
flop - good

Berserko can have nearly ATC here, UTG+2 most likely has a weaker ace (and raising with AT-AQ in this spot is standard). If you think that you don't want to risk a cap nor protect your hand more you might consider coldcalling - I would propably 3-bet here. Even though the pot is small I think that folding here is too weak.

[Utah]

I fold, although I don' like it in that game as you are ahead some percentage of time. You are only getting 4-1 on your money, you are up against a player who raised into 6 players, and you have 5 players to act behind you, and you face a possible reraise by the original better.

[ssmallz]

If I'm UTG+2 I'm raising w/any ace. If I'm you, I'm 3betting AK here. This pot is too big for you to be playing conservative and trying to find a laydown. No one has shown any real strenth strenth throughout the hand so theres no reason for you to think your TPTK is no good

[Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
This pot is too big

[/ QUOTE ]
That is not correct. With the raise in front on the turn, the pot is only laying 4-1. That's nothing.

[Ricks]

I count more than 9.5 BB in the pot when the action is on Hero. Folding TPTK here is a mistake IMO. As others have already said, UTG+2 can easily have a weaker Ace. The only question for me is whether to call or 3-bet. 3-betting is probably the superior choice. You have the best hand quite often and you have a great opportunity to protect it.

I also think that a flop bet has value with 7BB in the pot.

[steakhouse]

Since hero has a good position there is some value in betting the flop. I would tend to check and call though if button opts to bet.

[Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
I count more than 9.5 BB in the pot when the action is on Hero. Folding TPTK here is a mistake IMO. As others have already said, UTG+2 can easily have a weaker Ace. The only question for me is whether to call or 3-bet. 3-betting is probably the superior choice. You have the best hand quite often and you have a great opportunity to protect it.

[/ QUOTE ]Sorry, bad math on my part. It is about 5-1. I still fold. Do you really want to tangle in a relatively small pot with TPTK when 8 players saw the flop, there has been an early bet and turn raise and there are 5-6 players to act after you still?

Also, calling here is absolutely horrible. If you are going to play you have to 3 bet.

[Clover362]

In the abstract of this situation I like the fold but given your specific reads of your opponents I raise here.

[ssmallz]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, bad math on my part. It is about 5-1. I still fold. Do you really want to tangle in a relatively small pot with TPTK when 8 players saw the flop, there has been an early bet and turn raise and there are 5-6 players to act after you still?

[/ QUOTE ]

Give me hand ranges for your opponents where you think you're beat? Flopped 2pair seems unlikely, maybe they limped w/A9, A5, A2 but maybe they limped w/AT, AJ, or AQ (I see this very often @ the LLs). Maybe UTG+2 has 98 of spade or some other draw that just picked up outs? Maybe they limped in w/a PP and hit their set? There are plenty of combinations of hands that you beat and some that beat you.

Like I said in my earlier post, if I'm utg+2, I'm raising any ace here 100% of the time, partly b/c I think I have the best hand and partyly b/c you may muck a better ace.

"It's bet and raised and I'm only getting 5:1 on my 3 bet w/TPTK" This type of weak tight thinking will get you killed in the higher limits. Sometimes it is correct to 3 bet tptk on the big streets, sometimes a bet and raise in front of you means your drawing dead. A good player will be able to tell the difference and will push hard when theres a chance to win. Are you ahead 100% of the time? No. Are you ahead ~30% of the time? Yes. Based on the player descriptions given by OP and the flop/turn action, laying down here is a mistake.