Tryin to maximize value with trip A's on flop 50NL

Guy is like 45/20/1.8 over less than 50 hands

Stage #689257405: Holdem No Limit $0.50 - 2007-06-23 02:08:58 (ET)
Table: BITTERROOT DR (Real Money) Seat #8 is the dealer
Seat 8 - ONEABOVEPAR ($92.63 in chips)
Seat 9 - UGLYEVER ($30.10 in chips)
Seat 1 - SIRTOWERMAN ($282 in chips)
Seat 2 - WECANDOIT ($28.93 in chips)
Seat 3 - JOHN1226 ($38 in chips)
Seat 4 - DOUBLE SL ($88.90 in chips)
Seat 5 - NORTHERN_GUY ($31.20 in chips)
Seat 6 - GARBAGEBAG ($98.95 in chips)
Seat 7 - WE3ZIE ($91.80 in chips)
UGLYEVER - Posts small blind $0.25
SIRTOWERMAN - Posts big blind $0.50
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to WE3ZIE [Ah Ad]
WECANDOIT - Folds
JOHN1226 - Calls $0.50
DOUBLE SL - Folds
NORTHERN_GUY - Folds
GARBAGEBAG - Folds
WE3ZIE - Raises $2.50 to $2.50
ONEABOVEPAR - Raises $5 to $5
UGLYEVER - Folds
SIRTOWERMAN - Folds
JOHN1226 - Folds
WE3ZIE - Raises $9.50 to $12
ONEABOVEPAR - Calls $7
*** FLOP *** [2s Ac 9d]
WE3ZIE - Bets $6.50
ONEABOVEPAR - Raises $20 to $20
WE3ZIE - Calls $13.50


Alright how do you play this? I'm putting the guy on JJ-KK or AK/AQ. A reraise on the flop would scream AA from me so I can't do that. How can I stack him without giving my hand away?

In the end, it's very player dependent. How aggro is opp? How able to lay down hands is he?

That said, here's some thoughts...

The pot is $25 when we get to the flop, right? With almost 200bb stacks, I think you're going to have to bet larger on the flop and hope he still repops. The 6.50 bet/call line looks far scarier to me than if you'd just bet out 20 to begin with. I think he repops a lot either way. At that point, I think you can call and either check/raise or check/call the turn. On the river you can either bet/raise or check/raise, depending on opp's tendencies. If you're going to do it, I actually like saving the weak lead for the river, where it amounts to more chips.

I think your preflop 4 bet should be a fair bit bigger, especially given effective stacks are nearly 200BB. On the flop he has to expect a bet from you, so I'd go for half the pot, and if he raises just call and hope he puts more in on the turn.

This hand really is all about betsizing. From early on you raised to small. Your initial PF-raise was good, but the 4-bet should have been bigger, at a minimum 15. At the flop you should have bet at least half a pot and even a c/r would have been better than the probe-bet/call-line. Yes, you face som troubles after his flop-raise but that is only because your betsizing was too small.

I agree that there should have been bigger bets preflop. The idea is to get the flop pot big enough so that a push is not an overbet. I love the flop line that you took however.

bet more pf.

you only bet like 1/2 of what your pf raise was. that looks really weak and might be why he reraised you. also it doesnt build the pot.

as played i try to check raise the turn. (big this time) and if he checks behind probably just pot the river.

Well if the guy is putting you on a hand he has a pretty small range for you after the pf action. The A on the flop is likely to have hit him and more importantly KK-QQ would hate it. So, if he is capable of thinking it through and sensing weakness, try to play it like KK and encourage him to push you out.

If you fire all guns he'll correctly guess your hand from the narrow range your pf 4-bet indicates. This will cause him to play correctly against you.

I would have flat called the 3 bet pf. You know you are closing the action so you don't need to worry about other players. I think the 4 bet defines your hand too much unless you are consistently aggro. I would let him think he is in control of the betting. On that flop if he has AK you can then stack him. I would give up some equity pf for a chance at more post flop but others may not agree.

i think pf was ok, you can bet a little more but whatever. being deep allows more play pf. your flop bet was awful though. youre only getting value from an ace, a set, or a bluff. so whats the best way to get money from a set or an ace? big flop bet. if you keep the pot small and get aggressive on later streets youre only giving him a chance to get away from an ace. if you bet 20ish on this flop and he raises hes pot committed.

I think underbetting PF is better than overbetting PF, we're talking a couple dollars here PF compared to a fold and we're definitely going to get more than a couple more dollars if villain plays with us on the flop. I wouldn't pop it PF to more than $15.

I do think you should lead the flop stronger to build the pot, but I would do 1/2 pot. There's tons of hands that villain would want to fold on a flop with an A out there, so I think $20 is too much. After he re-raises you, on the turn bet 1/2 pot and see if he re-raises. just push the river as you will probably only have around a PSB or less left.

Bigger raise pre. Flop line is ok. Now on the turn after raised I think we check into him. If he bets at this point I think the best play is to just push. If he checks we lead the river for a little more then 1/2 the flop. On that board its safe to assume we are going to have the best hand barring a dirty suck out.

The flop bet is great against bad players. Against aware players I would only bet out more here for balance.

What do you mean by balance?