I suck at AJ -- Part 1

This is my next starting hand to do some digigng into. I play it very poorly.

Villian is 45 /0/.25
Most recently he had limped AKs from the button in an unopened pot. Yeesh.

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.25 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($5.45)
BB ($10.50)
UTG ($14.65)
MP1 ($43.15)
Hero ($25)
CO ($42.95)
Button ($8.30)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with J, A.
MP1 calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.1, 4 folds, MP1 calls $0.85.

Flop: ($2.55) A, K, 8 (3 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $2, MP1 calls $2.

Turn: ($6.55) 6 (3 players)
MP1 checks, Hero checks.

River: ($6.55) Q (3 players)
MP1 bets $6, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $12.55

Once again I probably shoudl have bet the turn. Yes? After the river card I figure i could certainly be behind to his style. AK, AQ, KQ, and QQ+ is not out of the question with him. Exactly why I should have hit that turn to find out early.

I think we both suck then, because I would have played this hand the same... except I would have probably folded pf (me = nit).

I just dislike AJ.. I almost always dump it to a raise (Either fold or re-raise with a read), and usually just dump it in EP.

I think this was played fine.

you played this hand fine

Id have bet the turn in this case perhaps bcoz the flush turned up just to stop having to make ugly river calls like this one.
fwiw i call here a lot in 6max and fold a lot in fr.

As others have said, this is fine. I'd probably fold PF, and bet the turn to preclude a tough river decision, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you played it.

bet turn...about 4 dollars i'd say...if he checks to you on river check behind, if he makes a small bet call, otherwise fold

lets just regurgetate what everyone else is saying - Yeah, fine - you should at least bet the turn for $2 or $3 maybe - you haven't commited yourself at that point, and if he's slowplaying you, it makes his river bet easier to figure out - AJ is a decent hand, especially for 6max...don't be afraid of getting it, just be wary that it is dominated sometimes...If you are play super tight (folding AJ), 6 max isn't the game for you IMO...

Originally Posted by LimpinAintEZ

lets just regurgetate what everyone else is saying - Yeah, fine - you should at least bet the turn for $2 or $3 maybe - you haven't commited yourself at that point, and if he's slowplaying you, it makes his river bet easier to figure out - AJ is a decent hand, especially for 6max...don't be afraid of getting it, just be wary that it is dominated sometimes...If you are play super tight (folding AJ), 6 max isn't the game for you IMO...

This isn't 6max, although I just realized that it was, in fact, 7-handed.

post edited, just read the thread about the guy that was 6/0 preflop.

Against this guy, I like betting the turn or calling the river. I'd probably bet the turn against a guy with a vpip of 45.

Also, to those advocating folding preflop, you're missing out on a lot of value by not iso-raising this guy.

i think your line isn't too bad, i'm betting the turn pretty much every time though and hoping to check behind on the river. i would also consider calling his river bet sometimes.

raise this preflop nearly every time also, get aggro! if lukie is telling you to play it, you damn well know you should.

Any who responded...what's your general PF strategy with AJ.

Unopened in EP/MP/LP?
Limped pot EP/MP/LP?
Raised pot EP/MP/LP?

I've genrally been playing it
limp/raise/raise
limp/limp-raise/raise
fold/75fold--25call/call

My strat for FR....

unopened---raise/raise/raise
limped--raise/raise/raise
raised--Fold/fold/fold (unless they are soooted, then I might call for a look at the flop).

AJ is a good hand to open with, but easily dominated, so I don't like calling raises and playing for a pair on the flop. AJ vs AK--seen it enough times to want to vomit.

I don't play much shorthanded, but if I did, I would probably change my strat for a raised pot to reraise/reraise/reraise. I don't know....

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

My strat for FR....

unopened---raise/raise/raise
limped--raise/raise/raise
raised--Fold/fold/fold (unless they are soooted, then I might call for a look at the flop).

Mine's about the same, except at an aggressive or loose calling table I'll open-fold AJo from EP and sometimes MP. AJs is worth calling a pre-flop raise in position, esp. against passive post-flop players.