KK hand ($5 SnG)

[nogenius]

Seat 1: im nogenius [KC,KS] ($1,605 in chips)
Seat 2: cway1234 ($2,525 in chips)
Seat 3: killarchris ($920 in chips)
Seat 4: sirlarry1911 ($1,380 in chips)
Seat 6: Sharkey zz ($1,835 in chips)
Seat 7: el80 ($2,350 in chips)
Seat 8: bspgt ($1,475 in chips)
Seat 9: demoman25 ($2,910 in chips)
ANTES/BLINDS
bspgt posts blind ($75), demoman25 posts blind ($150).

PRE-FLOP
im nogenius bets $325, cway1234 folds, killarchris folds, sirlarry1911 folds, Sharkey zz folds, el80 folds, bspgt folds, demoman25 calls $175.

FLOP [board cards AS,2H,AH ]
demoman25 bets $300, im nogenius ???

---

demoman25 seemed like a pretty good player, except he limped way too much.

What do you generally do here?

[vqc]

preflop
I either open push or raise it to 400.

flop
i think i fold...

[zenbitz]

pre-flop is OK, you got 1 caller.
Flop... mama. If villain really has a clue he bets out here with low pocket or 2 hearts.

I think you have to raise. Now, if he does have a mediocre hand, he should lay down to a min-reraise or something. If he re-re-raises, you're done. If he calls.... I guess you are pushing the turn if a non-heart shows.

That at least is probably how I lose my stack on this hand.

[Nugunz]

I believe a re-raise is in order here.

[Aplomado]

I think the Ace would check here. I wouldn't be surprised if this guy has Jacks or something.

The problem with a reraise is that it'll committ more than half his stack, so I might just smooth call here.

[baudib]

This is dependent on reads, I think. I might call this and either fold or push the turn. The times that someone bets out with trip aces is so freaking rare at $5.50 levels (is that what it was?), I tend to think you're ahead here. I have laid down KK on flops like this to someone betting out with QQ/JJ in the past.

[JeffreyGB]

I had a similar hand yesterday holding QQ. I was chatting with some people on vent and asked their thoughts. EVERYONE aggreed that I was likely far ahead. I pushed. They folded.

I doubt many players bet out here when they have it, especially into a preflop raiser. It's almost an auto-slow-play. I think a call or a reraise are both good here. I'm leaning toward a reraise because of the heart draw, as mentioned above.

[AHiltz]

Your preflop raise wasn't much more then a min raise. Was this standard for you? Why not 2.5 or 3x the BB preflop?
He's testing you on that flop. Come back over the top.

[Sprayed]

I agree with everyone else. You have to raise 2.5 to 3x or push pre-flop since you are not too far from 10bb. That would have given you an idea of what you may be up against. Now you are scratching your head. I would reraise on the flop. Although that would commit you, so you may need to push.

[gabe]

i just call. by raising, you only get called by a hand that beats you, but calling lets him bluff more.

[JeffreyGB]

i just call. by raising, you only get called by a hand that beats you, but calling lets him bluff more.

If the heart draw hits, are you paying it off?

[MAX]

I don't see a non A paying you off here, so make him pay the wrong price for his draw and pay him off if he's got you beat. Basically push. Hopefully he will think that no one with an A is pushing and reads you for a bluff. Otherwise you get the 1125 in the pot uncontested. If opp. is good, he's not putting more money in the pot after you cold call or reraise unless he either has you beat or is getting the right price to do so. If your goal is to get him to bluff (or semi bluff) off his chips, I think for a while, make a reraise to 650 and give him the chance to push over. I agree that you are ahead often enought that you shouldn't be folding (he is not betting out with the boat, so he either has 1 of the A or he doesn't). I would consider letting it go if 1 A hit rather than 2.

[zenbitz]

Hmmm....
Weak UTG raise, and a call.
AAX flop.

Caller here has an A (in which case he probably does not fear you at all), PP, flush draw, or big fat nothing.

He probe bets. Only a very sophisticated player who knows that YOU are sophisticated makes this bet with an A... but the possibility is there - ESPECIALLY with the flush draw.

What is he trying to do with that probe bet? Find out if you have an Ace, probably.
Now he could also have a weak ace, and be afraid of the strong ace and/or flush draw.

From most to least likely holding:

Low pocket: You raise -> he folds, You call -> he ???
Flush draw: You raise -> he probably calls, You call -> he checks
Nothing: You raise -> he folds, You call -> he probably check/folds
Weak Ace: You raise -> he ??? , You call -> he bets unless flush hits
Strong Ace: You raise -> he re-reaises, You call -> he ???

My conclusion from this: Unless you are a) sure he would check an Ace b) sure he will fire again on the turn, you should probably raise. This turn does not look very easy to play.

[Aplomado]

Once again, a min-raise would committ him anyway. So if you're going to do that, why not just push? Are you really willing to lose 900 of 1600 chips because he comes over the top?

[JeffreyGB]

Once again, a min-raise would committ him anyway. So if you're going to do that, why not just push? Are you really willing to lose 900 of 1600 chips because he comes over the top?

Depends on how confident you are in being beat. My thought with a raise, however, was that you're giving yourself more profit when a draw calls you. Perhaps it's better to bet more than min to keep the draw from having odds, but you're totally value betting IMO.