AQs flops top pair 4 handed and faces donk bet

[MXRider]

only the 2nd orbit at this table so no reads on anyone. I'm going to break this up into a few parts as I think there is good discussion to be had on each street and would love comments the whole way though.


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($32.75)
SB ($27.15)
BB ($2
UTG ($25.05)
Hero ($25.50)
CO ($6)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, Q.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, CO calls $0.85, Button calls $0.85, SB calls $0.75, 1 fold.

Not the type of action I am looking for with AQ. Time to proceed with caution me thinks 4 handed.

Flop: ($3.65) 8, A, 2 (4 players)
SB bets $3.65, Hero???


Here's our first spot of decision. SB donkbets pot into 3 players. I have a descent hand here as well. We have 2 people left to act behind us however. What is our play??????

[Raisindye]

raise or fold.... knowing me, i raise to ~ 9 and get my silly butt committed for the rest of my stack when someone comes over top

P

[Taardvark]

[emmapeel]

I think at a 6 handed table that anyone with AK would have re-raised pre-flop so that is one good thing. I wouldn't call SB's play a donk-bet though as it is a common play with a set.

I think I'm calling this but I am already worried. I'm hoping that the pot will get heads-up and I will have position and may get a clearer picture of what to do on the turn. A lot of interesting cards can hit that might help the situation.

EP

[emmapeel]

Re-raising looks like a mistake to me.

What kind of hand would SB bet the pot into 3 players with including the pre-flop raiser? I would guess that it is 88 or 22 here. I suppose aces up is possible too though. Folding is an option for me here.

My plan is to call the bet then give it up if things look bad on the turn. I don't think the hand is worth all of my chips after a big show of strength from the SB.

EP

[MXRider]

Let's move on as I feel we have stalled a bit here:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($32.75)
SB ($27.15)
BB ($2
UTG ($25.05)
Hero ($25.50)
CO ($6)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, Q.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, CO calls $0.85, Button calls $0.85, SB calls $0.75, 1 fold.

Not the type of action I am looking for with AQ. Time to proceed with caution me thinks 4 handed.

Flop: ($3.65) 8, A, 2 (4 players)
SB bets $3.65, Hero calls $3.65, 2 folds.

Turn: ($10.95)

SB checks, Hero?????

[Soultwister]

I like your flop play since I really think there is very little value in raising. The problem with raising on the flop is that the range of hands you will get action from are sets, two pair, perhaps a worse TP if villain is really bad and nut flush draws perhaps as well. Getting the money in vs that range with two cards to come is very -EV.

So even while I do not really mind a fold here, and probably would vs an unknown and with two players behind me, I also don't mind continuing here and think calling is infinitely superior to raising.

As played, you get exactly what you want. Villain is OOP, he checks to you on the turn, and it will be extremely hard for him to hide the hand strength both here and on river.

So when he checks here, I think the best way to proceed is to make a bet which can charge draws and will perhaps even get a call out of hands like AJ/AT. Should villain decide to check-raise you here, his range in general should be extremely strong, since this is rarely a bluff, and calling vs a CR here would be a large mistake. Even with those pot odds.

So on that turn I would probably bet something like $7/7.5, since you do not have to worry about paying off a flushdraw here, and you want to make it tempting for villain to call with a draw. Just hope he does not hold 35 of clubs :/.

[emmapeel]

2nd bit

What an odd line from villain. Big show of strength on the flop followed by a check when a seeming blank falls on the turn and there is now only one opponent to beat. My first thought is something like , for a big draw that has just hit. 88 or 22 now look less likely and villain looks more like he is on a draw. Or maybe villain has suddenly decided to slowplay his set now that he is heads-up.

If villain is on a draw then I should bet but if it is a big hand I should check. I think in the circumstances I'm just going to check behind here and see what happens on the river.

EP

[emmapeel]

I agree that villain may have just a weaker ace here and felt he had to bet the flop with it. ST's line of betting the turn looks a good option to be better.

I'm still not happy with it though due to the stack-sizes and the unclarity of things for me. If villain calls say a $7 bet we will have only $14 left in a $24 pot on the river. This is going to make it tough to play. I'm still happy to check to the river and judge what to do then. I can then call a busted draw or weaker hand or get away from a situation where it looks like I have little chance.

EP

[MXRider]

Continuing....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($32.75)
SB ($27.15)
BB ($2
UTG ($25.05)
Hero ($25.50)
CO ($6)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, Q.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, CO calls $0.85, Button calls $0.85, SB calls $0.75, 1 fold.

Not the type of action I am looking for with AQ. Time to proceed with caution me thinks 4 handed.

Flop: ($3.65) 8, A, 2 (4 players)
SB bets $3.65, Hero calls $3.65, 2 folds.

Turn: ($10.95)

SB checks, Hero bets $7.25, SB calls.

River: ($25.45)

SB bets $15.40, Hero???

[Soultwister]

I'm calling here, because part of the flop and turn play here is to earn value from draws. Also, villain's turn line is quite odd for a set.

On the river I expect to be versus 5c3c, an oddly played set seems unlikely, or a busted flushdraw, or worse ace. Perhaps AK but that also seems unlikely.

Overall I think it's a marginal river call without info, but so was the flop call. I think if you fold in this spot while villain played the hand pretty unorthodox and the board runs like this, you should have folded on the flop already.

Because of that, I think calling the river bet is pretty mandatory.

[emmapeel]

Last bit.

I think villain has put us all-in here and we only need 27%ish wins to make the call good.

I think a bluff is possible with a busted flush draw for example. Villain may also be weak and be betting just an ace here. I still think it is not enough and it looks like a fold. I think it is close though and the odds are good.

EP

[MXRider]

Thanks all. I really thought this was a difficult hand and wanted to see if I played it properly. I did make the call and villain showed for a pair and flushdraw on the flop then rivered trips. On to the next one