AA from the UTG+1

[RFirmino96]

In a mid stage in the tournament we get aces in the utg+1 with 65 bbs. The blind are 800/1600. We make 3700 to play, get two callers, the HJ(28 bbs) and the SB(80 bbs). The flop cames 3d4h7c. The SB donk bets like 25% of the pot(like 3000), and we raise it 3x. The HJ folds and the SB calls. 10c cames on the turn he checks and i check behind to control the pot and induce a bluff. The river is a 9h and he shoves, we think a little bit( he could have a set scored in the flop) and call, he hit the set on the river. In the turn the correct play was check or bet? And if was to bet, what the correct ammount?

 

[joe777]

Cbet 1/3 pot on the turn.

 

[Jacki Burkhart]

You've got a lot of good thought processes going on here, I like that you have a plan.

Bet the turn or check back the turn.....both can be OK if you have good reasons and a plan.

Check back the turn: benefits: controls pot size for the times you are beat. under-reps your hand to earn you more chips on the river. induces bluffs. also induces worse hands to think their hand is good. drawbacks: obviously they can draw out on you. also, you'll lose value from 2nd best hands like JJ. Ideal against: aggressive tricky or bluffy opponents. also, chronic donk bettors who are likely to still have nothing on the turn and will give up if you bet the turn. these types of players are either drawing dead, or drawing to 2-5 outs and so giving them free cards is no big deal.

bet the turn (something like 35-50% of the pot) benefits: a classic value bet that you are hoping will get called by a worse hand. protects your hand against draws and random 2 pair combos. gives cover to your future 2 barrel bluffs. drawbacks: may be too much pressure for 1 pair hands like A7 to call, so more likely to get called by hands that have you crushed already. Betting on the smaller side will keep in villain's weaker hands, but also offers attractive odds to any draws. Ideal against: calling stations. any players who overvalue top pair. players you have recently caught you bluffing, or suspect you are bluffing. anyone you suspect is on a draw.

Now here is my question for you: Why do you think 3x raising his flop bet is the best play? I'm not saying it's bad, but I want to understand your thought process. It seems to me that it makes it very easy for his weak hands to fold and will usually only get called by hands that either crush you, or have good equity against you, such as 2 pair, sets or 1 pair with a gutshot.

Sometimes I think people raise the flop with hands like AA and KK in spots like this because they're afraid and they actually just want the other players to fold hands that have little equity rather than risk the small chance of getting their Aces cracked...that is the WRONG reason to raise the flop. Can't be scared of your own shadow with your premium pairs on relatively safe boards. If you were to tell me it was because you put the donk bettor on a hand like 88-JJ and it was a value bet, I would say "wow, excellent read and good thought process" or if you were to tell me you wanted to get heads up because AA is easier to play heads up I'd say "Ok, that is a fair reason still slightly on the scaredy-cat side on such a safe board....but still basically OK".

 

[walleye]

As said earlier...bet the turn. Your opponent seems frisky.

 

[teepack]

A turn bet probably would have been a good play, but I'm not sure it would have changed anything. Frankly, given how you describe the SB, I'm not sure there is any way you could have gotten him to fold before the river. The flop was dry, giving both of you reason to believe your pocket pair was good. The turn card probably didn't scare him that much (don't think he would have pegged you as the kind to re-raise on the flop with A-10), so he probably calls just about everything there short of a shove by you. And even then, there is at least a 50/50 chance he calls.

In other words, I think you were doomed from the get go. It happens.

I know it's hard to fold AA, but did you feel any real reason to risk your tournament life then?