I slow down sometimes too

[Lukie]

Villain is straate from the stars 2/4 game. He and I have a LOT of history. In the last two days we have gone 4 raises and 100++ bb deep preflop where his Q9s and JJ scooped over my AQs and AKo. We 3-bet each other preflop constantly and I believe someone on one of our tables once said our play reminds them of retards fucking, or something to that extent (ok, that was aimed at me, lol).

Anyway, there have been three recent hands where we've run into each other. They've all probably been on different tables. We both play lots.

1. He opens his button, I repop him from the BB with AK. He 4-bets. I push. His JJ holds.

2. I check/call a flop bet in a raised pot with a draw. I check/push the turn, he instafolds.

3. I raise with QQ straate calls immediately to my left and somebody also calls from the blinds. Board Kxxxx I check/call 2 streets and (badly) check/fold river, where he shows a naked T8o (he's usually quite TAgg though).

Anyway, it's interesting to note that after this 3rd hand, this guy has either been card dead or is REALLY nitting it up against me, as he's been staying clear of me.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I think he has a real hand when he 3-bets preflop here. However, this is certainly not the guy to rule out a move with...

Anyway, on to the hand:

Preflop, I'm not thrilled about playing such an easily dominated hand at over 200bb deep against a good aggro, but folding really isn't an option here. 4-betting just seems to lead to allin's and we certainly don't want that either (although last time I had this hand, he flipped Q9s for the flush so who knows?)

I'll go on record as saying a call is the best play here.

Flop comes about as good as it gets. He makes his standard lead here. I have TPTK and the nut draw. Normally with such a strong hand I would go nuclear but I don't really see the point. I might be off base here though, who knows. Being so deep though it just seems like I'm turning my hand, which has a huge amount of value, into a bluff. Sure, I can get him off AQ or worse, but do I really want that? I think the only better hand I could get him off would be KK, maybe.

Turn sucks, and taints my flush outs in a very bad way. I think this is the easiest street in the hand. I have to check here and I don't really think it's a decision.

River is where it gets interesting IMO. I'm fairly certain he has AK now with this weak value/block bet. I think he'd pound it much harder with AA. I sigh and make a weak call though figuring there isn't much value in a raise (it would have to be a small one and hope he'd make a bad call with exactly AK). A push over my raise would just absolutely suck, and I think I'd be looking at an overfull nearly 100% of the time.

Anyway, thoughts? This hand has irritated me for a while now as it really brings out my lack of experience playing poker at 200bb and deeper.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($856.20)
Button ($156.40)
SB ($999.10)
BB ($391.50)
UTG ($1235.05)
MP ($606.70)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, Q.
2 folds, Hero raises to $16, 1 fold, SB raises to $56, 1 fold, Hero calls $40.

Flop: ($116) 8, T, Q (2 players)
SB bets $72, Hero calls $72.

Turn: ($260) 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($260) A (2 players)
SB bets $125, Hero calls $125.

Final Pot: $510

[elipsesjeff]

I dunno, a little weak tight for me by not raising the river. You could raise him to $300-$350 and he'll still call with AK. I too am horrible deep stack play when playing against other deep stacks.

[Genitruc]

Cool hand. I like calling the flop because if you raise, you're probably only getting action from KK, AA in which you're barely leading kk and still trailing AA. Also in just calling it doesn't necessarily tell villain you're on a draw because it's a reraised pot and your range is a lot wider than hearts...meaning that you can still get paid off if you make a flush. Turn check is sexy as well but IMO I think you need to raise that river because his hand looks exactly like AK and with the meta-game going into this hand, you can probably get more value. If he pushes it's gross...but at that point you'll have to call and curse the deck if it's AA or QQ. I think he would bet the turn with AA or even QQ here unlesss he was certain you would float and bet the turn so he could c/r.

Ok enough rambling. Nh though.

[gabe]

go crazy on the flop to balance your play for when you have AA/set/two pair. he might do some dumb stuff with worse hands too considering the history.