Ok so new 1/2 table.. Hero ($350) is UTG with AJo, V ($450) is an oldish white guy with a cap and headphones on the BTN...

I've seen him bust a short stack in previous orbit .. not sure what the exact action was but flop was J86r shortie shoved $60, some other guy (possibly short too) just called and he shoved all in with KJo OTB and held.. can't draw much inference from that as I didn't pay attention..

OTTH..

Hero ($350) raises to $12 with AJo UTG,
CO ($60) calls,
V thinks for 15 seconds (?) and then calls OTB,
one fish in blinds ($200) calls

Flop ($50): J64r
Check, Hero bets $30, fold, V raises to $65 or $70, fold, Hero ???

I usually like to "call and see what V does OTT" in these spots but I think I'm not beating much in this spot.

His tank-call pre smells of a slowplayed QQ-AA sometimes, I'm chopping with AJ that raised to find out where it's at, and KJ or worse Js probably don't even raise flop (although it's possible they minraise to find out where they stand vs a cbettor). But I think it's far less likely.

Also, the fact that I'm UTG and am betting out into 3 others on this board strengthens my range in V's eyes so I doubt he has any bluffs or many worse value hands here.

This looks like a set or an overpair to me. Make an exploitable fold?

Or if I do call, how do I handle a $80 bet OTT OOP?

Yes, but next time do it pf.

It was 7-handed. I think I'm comfortable enough with my postflop game to open AJo in that spot at easy tables (which I assumed this to be). I've seen 2/5 crushers open ATo/KQo UTG at 9 or 10-handed in my games.

Just imagine it was AQo and flop came Q64r. Pretty much a similar spot.

His most likely hand is probably QQ, fits the tank preflop, but I'd peel one off - the 5-outer against QQ gives some equity and we might just be winning. I think 66 and 44 are very unlikely given the preflop tank, as those are both super obvious, routine calls. Fold the turn if he keeps firing, AJ is the bottom of your range for a flop call. You'll be able to keep calling with overpairs.

^^^ yea peel. Chop is also possible, as is seeing a river without having to call another bet once in a while.

Raise pre is fine even if it was 9 handed.

As played definitely can't fold yet. What's the turn action?

If villain tanked for an actual 15 sec pre then I'd feel more confident of him having an overpair. As played it's pretty hard to fold, I mean if you're opening this hand and flopping TPTK on such a dry board can you really fold to a minraise on the flop? What sorta value range can you put him on? Would he really raise 44 or 66 on a rainbow flop? I don't like it, especially being OOP, but I'd feel compelled to see a turn card.

I think you can fold a certain amount of your AJ hands here. I'd say peel with any AJ that has a BDFD and fold the others. So in this case, with AJo, you can fold. Call with two combos of AJs and fold the rest.

This depends somewhat on whether you raise 66 and 44 UTG. If you don't, you probably want to add AJ's that have the Ace of a BDFD suit to compensate.

As an aside, I think you can get away with a much smaller bet of, say, $20 on dry flops like this. Also, I'd raise smaller preflop, but that's a sensitive issue on this forum.

I dont think its exploitable at all. It depends on how many players got dealt in. If its 9 handed then folding is unexploitable

RESULTS:

Oh well, I folded face up as it was my only time playing here and I was leaving soon. I did utilize that image to squeeze bluff later.

When he left, I asked him and he told me he had JT (wtf?).

I was like "noo, I folded AJ to you". He was like "Oh yes, that was the plan. I had a sigh of relief when you showed AJ".

Jfc, I'm on life-tilt right now. It's like - whenever I call in this spot, they show QQ+/sets and whenever I fold, they have like JT. FML.

Grunch.

FWIW, I don't play AJo UTG at a full ring game unless it's unusually soft or I have specific reads on one or more V's I can exploit postflop. I don't think it's a big loser, but I don't think it's profitable.

I think it's a bit wimpy to fold top/top for a min raise on the flop. There are some draws (53s, 75s) and some hands that might raise to see where they're at (KJ, QJ, JT). That said, you could very well be beat; I just think you can let V try a bit harder to convince you.

I'd call the flop and x/c a reasonable bet on the turn. I'd x/f the river.

It depends on how many people were dealt in. AJo will be a tiny winner at a 9 handed table and a slight loser 10 handed. You can fold it 9 handed tho because a lot of your profit will be erased by light squeezes. I would fold at aggressive tables 9 handed. Always raising 8 or less.

So folding 9 handed as played is not exploitable.

That doesnt mean it was necessarily best but at least i can answer one part of the question