$1.10 NLHE MTT: Checking top and bottom pair on the river with AKs

[CampaLoa]

This is the first hand of this tournament. I raised my normal amount of 3 times the big blind pre flop, made a big bet on the flop (bigger than I normally do), because I would most likely get the most action from weaker aces (which is a big percentage of his range), or a random 7. Maybe 1 street for small pocket pairs.

He (min)raised post flop and I opted to just call, not chasing away weak aces or pocket pairs trying to find out where they stand, deciding to bet big on the turn again. He snapcalled my turnbet and that made me narrow down his range to Ax, suited connectors (a lot of 56, 67, 78), maybe some suited gappers (containing a seven), suited K7, pocket 77, and maybe AJ or A8. That made me decide to check the river, inducing a value bet from weaker aces, bluff from complete air (I think the villain is very unlikely to have air in this spot) and sometimes a valuebet from a 2 pair or better hand.

I thought that if I would have bet half my stack on the river (smallish value bet), he would just call with any ace and shoved a better 2 pair or better, which I am obliged to call, knocking me out of the tournament if I am beat, with only top and bottom pair after being called after showing aggression. I doubted for a long time, but still did check. Is this a bad thought process?

pokerstars No-Limit Hold'em, 1.1 Tournament, 10/20 Blinds (9 handed) - PokerStars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)
Hero (UTG) (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
MP1 (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)

Hero's M: 66.67

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K

, A

Hero bets t60, UTG+1 calls t60, 7 folds

Flop: (t150) 7

, A

, 7

(2 players)
Hero bets t120, UTG+1 raises to t240, Hero calls t120

Turn: (t630) 8

(2 players)
Hero bets t500, UTG+1 calls t500

River: (t1630) J

(2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 ???

Total pot: t1630

 

[duggs]

Not a bad process at all,
I think given the stakes and that its the first hand his range may be a bit wider(for example I'v seen this play with Any PP, any ace, KQ etc.) a moderate 3bet on the flop may have induced a shove from alot of his range.
I woud shove river as a bad player would struggle to get away from this hand after calling turn. But maybe I'm not giving villain enough credit, really depends on calibre of player.

 

[Pascal-lf]

Why do you peel flop to not chase away weak hands and then bomb turn?

 

[CampaLoa]

I smoothcall the flop raise, because I want a small ace to stay, thinking that the small ace will also call the bet on the turn. Does this make any sense?