$2 NLHE Full Ring: Pair of aces weak kicker vs aggressive villain

[GreenDaddy1]

Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 12/12/100

Interested in thoughts on how I played this and the read I had. Small sample size but figured villain as very tight aggressive. On a bad day I am a lazy reader when under pressure and so am trying to improve in that area.


UTG: $1.79 (90 bb)
UTG+1: $2.07 (104 bb)
MP: $2.36 (118 bb)
MP+1: $2.09 (105 bb)
LP: $1.97 (99 bb)
CO: $1.00 (50 bb)
BU (Hero): $1.52 (76 bb)
SB: $1.88 (94 bb)
BB: $2.05 (103 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with 4♠ A♠
3 players fold, MP+1 raises to $0.06, 2 players fold, Hero calls $0.06, SB calls $0.05, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.20) A♥ 7♦ 3♦ (3 players)
SB checks, MP+1 bets $0.10, Hero raises to $0.30, SB folds, MP+1 calls $0.20

Turn: ($0.80) 6♣ (2 players)
MP+1 bets $0.39, Hero calls $0.39

River: ($1.58) 8♠ (2 players)
MP+1 bets $1.34 (all-in), Hero calls $0.77 (all-in)

I figure he is raising pre flop there with at most 10% of starting hands. Maybe pocket pairs down to about 77, all the A, K & Q combos, maybe Ax down to A9s and AJo. QJs too perhaps.

His C bet was pretty standard and didn't give much away. But I raised his bet on the flop for a few reasons: a) hoping to get at least one of the them to fold out, b) my weak kicker, c) value for when I'm ahead.

At the time I felt the 6c on the turn fell outside his range and did not improve his hand. I called here thinking I am ahead more often than not, beating his range at worst 50% of the time. I feel reasonably pot committed at this point and will happily get it in on the river unless a really scary card appears (a diamond to complete the flush draw would not be much fun, and any card 10+ likely helps him more than me).

The 8s on the river hits such a tiny fraction of his range, and I didn't get the impression he has been semi bluffing with 88. The shove therefore looks like it is trying to push me off so I don't hesitate to call it.


So... how's that read or am I bananas?

​

 

[TenJack]

First off, why are you playing less than 100 BB? Always rebuy whenever you fall below that number. Get max value from your big hands.

I don't mind calling from the bttn pre, i could 3-bet this just to fold out villain if he is trying to steal. Some people might say this is too loose, but a suited ace in pos. is fine imo

On the flop i think i raise is ok, there are certainly times when he has k-high or something continuing, but when he calls you are probably behind.

I really don't like our spot on the turn. Calling is to weak, and we aren't strong enough to raise and have very little fold equity against any ace. I would just fold top pair crap kicker right here.

River is a fold imo. he can never jam here with less than an ace, you are soundly beat unless you think he is one of the very rare 1/2 players capable of triple barreling with KK. Lets be honest he isn't doing that.

 

[trent32la]

Flop raise is awful. On an A73fd flop, you don't need to deny equity by raising and bloating the pot. Your hand is very easily dominated and when called, you are facing a very strong range, you also fold out V's complete air hands which have very little equity vs your hand.

Folding river. V is rarely ever going to be bluffing when you raise flop and then call turn, there are a lot of flaws in your thinking.

 

[Hujiko]

Raising preflop with A4 suited is can see working as you have an A blocker and potential to either flop a straight or a flush draw. However raising the flop against a 12/12 player is not something I would recommend you are either way behind (a stronger A or a set) or way ahead (some pair or total air).


Be also aware that a villain with 12/12/100 does not necessarily is over aggressive as he plays only premium hands pre-flop and can continue on a lot of flops.

As played his call on the flop should mean that hes does not have a lot of bluffs left so would probably already fold the turn.

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Flop raise is awful. On an A73fd flop, you don't need to deny equity by raising and bloating the pot. Your hand is very easily dominated and when called, you are facing a very strong range, you also fold out V's complete air hands which have very little equity vs your hand.

Folding river. V is rarely ever going to be bluffing when you raise flop and then call turn, there are a lot of flaws in your thinking.

Agreed.

 

[GreenDaddy1]

Thanks.

Thanks all, I appreciate the feedback.

I'm clearly playing mid strength holdings too aggressively on the flop in some circumstances based on that, I'll make some adjustments.

I did get lucky and win the hand as it turned out, but it was one of a few I marked to review after my session as I had a lingering feeling the win clouded my judgement of how I played/read the action.


Anyone able to recommend a good post flop resource for micro cash games btw? Obviously a ton of stuff comes up on a google search, but does anywhere stand out as giving the best advice/strategy?

 

[Alex330]

4 ♠ A ♠ excellent hand micro tournaments

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Thanks all, I appreciate the feedback.

I'm clearly playing mid strength holdings too aggressively on the flop in some circumstances based on that, I'll make some adjustments.

I did get lucky and win the hand as it turned out, but it was one of a few I marked to review after my session as I had a lingering feeling the win clouded my judgement of how I played/read the action.


Anyone able to recommend a good post flop resource for micro cash games btw? Obviously a ton of stuff comes up on a google search, but does anywhere stand out as giving the best advice/strategy?

Upswing has the best cheaper cash content.

 

[Gabe16]

If you think he’s aggro why turn a sdv hand that blocks better aces into a bluff, this isn’t a raise for value. We get here with much better hands to raise with. So overall I think this strat is bad. On average we only get called behind and Little better folds.

The read. If it’s a small sample size then we assume too much unless in that time we’ve seen showdowns. But its likely along the right line. How we’ve used it is incorrect.

We have fairly stable sdv, we might want to deny XdXd equity or protect. But the pay of considering our hand strength isn’t good enough.

Here we’d raise (if raising is desirable on the flop, there’s an argument for a range call) sets of 7’s and 3’s and A7, then our high equity draws.

On the river the bet does seem fishy, but we assume too much again.

 

[John A]

With less than 100bbs pre, fold A4s against a tight middle opener.

As played, just call flop. I'd fold turn unless you're sure about those stats. Fold river.