Live Hand: AQ TP on an action flop, turn + river decisions

Opponents seem to be semi-tight (live standards, not online), fairly passive (aggressive calling, will sometimes bluff if induced but won't go crazy) and trying to play "well." Mostly playing medium to small pot poker.

My table image is semi-tight and I haven't been really aggro post-flop so probably weak as well.

$3/$5 $300 max

I have ~$350 and my opponents cover.

I have :As: :Qc: in EP and raise to $20. LP and BB call.

~$60 in the pot

Flop is: :Qh: :Jh: :4c:

Checked, to me, I bet $40, LP folds, BB calls.

~$140 in the pot

Turn is :8s:

Opponent gives me an evil look and starts to reach for chips, then checks. I think about it for a bit then check behind.

River is :9d:

Opponent seriously considers a push, then announces "$100."

I pay him off.

with so little left to bet(small SPR), i fire another big barrel on the turn to avoid offering high implied odds to his most likely draws if i decide to pay him off, risk losing a lot and stack off here with TPTK.

Why didn't you bet this turn? seems like an easy way to get away if he raises. He's probably debating if he should bet his pair + draw or not. I dont see what you beat on this river though other than pure bluff. KQ doesn't bet this much as bluff on river and every other hand calling you on flop has you crushed.

im missing why we checked the turn but called the river regardless.
Otherwise i think i see

In this kinda situation I usually bet like ~70 on the turn and say something like "I'm not gonna stop". Then I check behind on the river. If he manages to raise the turn or lead the river then I'll fold.

As played it's tough to call the river there. I can think of regs I'd fold to there and I can think of regs I'd call, so it's really a feel-it-out kinda thing for me.

I checked the turn because I felt that even though I had the best hand right there, if I bet I'm going to have a very difficult time not committing to this pot. If I check behind then I can get this to showdown for a single bet and felt my opponent might bluff the river a fair % of the time making up the value lost on the turn. Good idea, I have second thoughts about it's implementation on this hand.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fnord

~$140 in the pot

Turn is :8s:

Opponent gives me an evil look and starts to reach for chips, then checks. I think about it for a bit then check behind.

River is :9d:

Opponent seriously considers a push, then announces "$100."

I pay him off.

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These two actions, clearly says that his bluffing most of the time. If he feels you as weak (even if he has no reads on you) why would he show so must aggression and then first check on turn and bet 2/3 OOP on river?
(This is a clear strong means weak in Caro's book ;-))
With this aggression you would only push with a huge hand.
Unless he is a very good player I think you good here most often.

As for turn, due to the same reads during this hand I would also check.