Foxwoods - 1/2: AA vs. flop aggression

[jenson]

First time at Foxwoods. The air conditioning was broken in the entire casino for most of the day. My ass got sweaty. It was smokey in the poker room due to lack of ventilation.

I've been at the table for about 30 minutes before this hand. I haven't tangled with Villain before.

Effective stacks: $250

I pick up A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in LP
Three preflop limpers: UTG, UTG+1 MP
I raise to $15 PF. UTG and UTG+1 call.
Pot size: $50. My stack size: $285

Flop:
9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, I bet $25
UTG folds, UTG+1 check raises to $50

What do I do? If I reraise, what do I do if he pushes?

[WMB]

its really read dependent here. has villain shown any aggression so far? Does he seem like an experienced player? What's your overall impression of him? Against many live 1-2 players I find a fold here.

[jenson]

I've only been at the table 30 minutes. Villain hasn't made much of an impression yet. I have to categorize him as 'unkown'. He hasn't said much either.

[Warren Harding]

Tough spot:

Reraise/bet to give bad odds to the FD or SD, but then you lose too much to 9x and 55 and you may not get maximal value from the pocket pairs he thinks are good ATM but not after a RR.

Play WAWB to embolden the weaker pair hands and lose less to x9, but get nothing from the draws.

I guess I'd call the minCR and bet-fold the turn, but not sure that's right.

[LocustHorde]

If he pushes, I'd fold..

I wouldn't reraise right there, I'd call and and see if he fires out on the turn..

FWIW, I would have checked the flop on this paired board. Then if villian bets out on the turn, I'd raise him right there and if he went over the top, you would be confident you're beat. (unless of course, the turn brought a lovely ace)

[Diana Ross Fan]

making it 100 to go should find out if he has the 9 or not. His min raise doesn't make sense for someone who has say, 98s but we don't know if his plays make sense.

[pterodactyl_]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, I would have checked the flop on this paired board.

[/ QUOTE ]

Checking this flop is downright criminal. You give free cards to the draws that are out there and lose value from lower PP's.

[hanning]

Tough spot. I would call and see what develops on the turn.

On the turn if villain leads out with a strong bet I am folding. If villain checks - I would bet at least $75 (more likely $80 or $90) - folding to any reraise. If villain leads with a weak bet of less than $50 (which is typical at the 1/2 games at Foxwoods) I probably just call - really can't see folding to a bet this size unless the turn was a diamond and even then I might stick around.

I think the real issue here was to small a raise pre-flop. At the FW 1/2 game $12 is pretty much a standard opening raise and it is not uncommon to get 3-5 callers making this bet from early position. With 3 limpers and $9 dollars in the pot, a bet of $15 (making it $13 to go for the limpers) really isn't going to thin the field much. In this spot in the 1/2 game at FW you really have to make a pre-flop bet of $20+. With a bet this size you will likely be heads up, which is what you want with AA.

[jenson]

I figured a lot of hands that I am beating could try a check / min-raise on this flop. After all, my flop bet could be a continuation bet with any two picture cards or even some trash I raised with in late position.

I figure 88, 77, 66, and any two diamonds are likely candidates. I didn't think KK, JJ, or TT were too likely. He limped in UTG+1 after UTG already limped. Then when I raised preflop in late position he cold called. Doesn't make any sense for a high pair. Maybe TT I guess.

Of course he really could have a 9 or even 55 for a full house. That's what I was concerned about and I didn't feel too good about this spot. I decided that I would reraise. Enough to keep him honest but keep enough behind so that I can fold to a push. Hands I'm beating probably fold, that's true but I wanted to know where I stood before I ended up all in on the turn.

Well, I reraised another $100 and he insta pushed for $202 ($102 more). I am now getting great odds to call but it just made me sick. My first thought was that I'm not good enough to fold here.

I thought about it and really was convinced that I just am not ahead here and I have two outs to improve. Maybe four outs if he has pocket fives. I folded AA face up and he showed 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].

Yes folks, he had a flush draw and a gut shot. I really couldn't see any hand I'm beating check raising and then reraising All In on this flop. I sux. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[boltonflats]

Hey jensen, what are the odds, that was me at the table. I thought for sure I didn't have enough behind to get you off your hand. I had 2 things going for me in my mind on that hand. I rarely play 1-2, but only had a few hours that day, but so far you seemed like one of the only players at that table. You were by far the most aggressive player at the table and I had a sense you actually knew what you were doing, which is very rare at a 1-2NL table. Against just about anyone else at the table, against your reraise, I instantly fold because 90% of 1-2 players will never fold AA, ever.

With you, I knew you would (or was hoping), with my limp in and then colding calling, then with a mini raise, you'd have to put me on some sort of 9, A9 or K9 or pocket fives. Also, it was near the beginning of us playing together, so I figured you didn't have much a read yet on me of what type of player I might be. Also, I think my talking help. Obviously I wanted you to fold, so by saying I'd show you my hand either way, most players read that as strength, especially how comfortable I was. Who knows, maybe it nothing to do with it!

Was that hand a set up for your last hand or was there no way you were folding? The A5A hand? I flat called the flop figuring on at least one of you with the A. I admit I was surprised that you pushed all in on the turn for the remaining $125 or so when the 10 came but I guess when you have a strong Ace, have to figure it's best.

Anyway, small world. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

-Mark