AJ - top two pair - river play

[daviddem]

FT Single table SNG - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em
BB: kissmaniak (2,286)
UTG: Tre866 (935)
UTG+1: isolani (1,355)
CO: Hero (3,545)
Button: Villain (4,004)
SB: Fab Penguin (1,375)
Fab Penguin posts the small blind of 20
kissmaniak posts the big blind of 40
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Ac Jd]
Tre866 folds
isolani folds
Hero raises to 120
Villain calls 120
Fab Penguin folds
kissmaniak calls 80
*** FLOP *** [3h Jh 4s] (pot t380)
kissmaniak checks
Hero bets 250
Villain calls 250
kissmaniak folds
*** TURN *** [3h Jh 4s] [As] (pot t880)
Hero bets 600
Villain calls 600
*** RIVER *** [3h Jh 4s As] [7h] (pot t2080)
Hero ??

What now? Comments on flop and turn bet sizing?

I was hoping to take this preflop without a fight. I really wasn't thrilled to see the big stack call me...

Apologies for not using the standard format, but I don't have 10 posts yet, so I can't... Did my best to make it readable.

[Kijjo]

Preflop and flop bets are good. Turn bet is fine. As for the river, what do you think he has? You were playing him, what's your read?

[rong]

I'm guessing the worry is if villain flopped a set, cos I don't see what else he has that beats you.

I prob bet 1000 and cry if he shoves.

[daviddem]

villain reads:
- minraised AKo UTG+1 on the first hand (sad I folded KQo UTG (should I have?), because I would have flopped trip queens and rivered a full house against his two pairs!)
- minraised UTG preflop second hand. Was folded around. I folded ATs in the BB (should I have?)
- picked up a few more chips in the BB, folded a few hands
(then I picked up QQ on the button, re-raised a raiser and got two calls (incl the initial raiser). The other caller shoved a 2T4 rainbow flop. I called and stacked him (he had 77...))
- limped a Q6s in MP, then called a 5xBB raise (!!). Won showdown with a flush.
- minraised AJs in MP, got reraised to 7.5xBB and proceeded to shove over. Got called (by a KQs!). Won...

So, I would say he qualifies as loose-aggro-donk.

Now, the board is drawy (flush, straight) and villain's range is wide indeed. After he called the flop bet, I put him on either a top pair lower kicker, a made set, a draw or maybe just an ace-high he did not want to fold to a continuation bet. So I agonized over bet sizing of the turn. Bet more if draw, less if set... OOP definitely sucks!

The river completes a flush draw and straight draw. Doesn't change anything if he has a set. But if I check, he may bluff with an inferior hand. So what? c/f (weak, uh?) b/f? b/c?

[taipan168]

minraised AKo UTG+1 on the first hand (sad I folded KQo UTG (should I have?)

Absolutely you should have folded KQo UTG, whatever happens on the flop is irrelevant and results-oriented...

minraised UTG preflop second hand. Was folded around. I folded ATs in the BB (should I have?)

Yes, correct move to fold ATs in the BB against an UTG raise

As for what to do on this hand, I agree with DanAronG, I would bet 1000 and go into the tank if he shoves over. I think the advantage of betting the river is a) he may well call with hands you beat (Ax, worse two pair) and b) if you check and he bets more than you are willing to call, you may fold the best hand with a huge pot.

I think your flop and turn bet sizes are fine.

One issue that is relevant here is that this is a big stack clash so the ICM effect is very pronounced.

[daviddem]

Sorry, it's my English here:

I prob bet 1000 and cry if he shoves.

I would bet 1000 and go into the tank if he shoves over

Do you mean that you make the crying call if he shoves over? Or you fold to his shove?

Oh, and keep in mind these are the $1+$0.20... Not exactly high stakes.

[taipan168]

What I meant was that I would bet 1000 and have to think about it very hard if he shoves over, however given the amount of chips in the pot I think it has to be a crying call.

[rong]

Sorry, it was a little ambiguous.

But yes, crying call it is, although I don't think bet/folding would be the worst thing in the world. It's better than check folding IMO.

[daviddem]

OK, thanks for your input guys. FWIW, I did bet 1000 on the river... Glad you would have done the same.

[Kijjo]

In the low realms of SNGs nothing that guy could turn over would shock me (or should shock you).
I've been having some issues with my PT3, so was goofing around with $1.20's some last week and this week, including tonight.
About 3 hands into one, picture this....
I get KK, two limpers before me, I raise about 4xBB (I don't want to make it too costly right?), get 2 brave souls to call. Flop is K94 rainbow. 1st bets about 5xBB, second calls, I bet 5x his flop bet, he calls, 2nd shoves, I call, #1 calls.
Hahaha, right? I'm just seriously laughing away - so I'm thinking one poor dude has AK or maybe AA, and likely the other dude has some retarded junk like A9 or A4.
They flip over 55 and trash that's totally unconnected - something like T6.
I believe every player at the table typed some version of LOL.
Welcome to the world of Bingo boys, pass the chips!

[daviddem]

Yes, it is terrible what people call with or the absurd bluffs they try. I know it is supposed to be profitable in the long run, but it is still sickening me every time I get outdrawn... I must say I have had a long run of unlikely bad beats recently...

It's like, you would never want to try a squeeze a these levels, because nobody would want to miss out on the upcoming lottery, right?

[taipan168]

Yes, it is terrible what people call with or the absurd bluffs they try. I know it is supposed to be profitable in the long run, but it is still sickening me every time I get outdrawn... I must say I have had a long run of unlikely bad beats recently...

It's not supposed to be profitable in the long run, it IS profitable in the long run! If you get outdrawn, by definition you should be delighted, because you managed to get all your chips in the middle with the best hand. The key is to ensure that your bankroll is big enough to handle the swings.

It's like, you would never want to try a squeeze a these levels, because nobody would want to miss out on the upcoming lottery, right?

You're right, you need to reduce significantly the amount of fold equity you think you have in any given situation. Even at higher buyins, bad players can call with all sorts of ridiculous holdngs - so what that means is that you need to adjust your range to suit.