Villain is a very good reg that plays up to 5/10. Usually the best player at the table when he slums it at 2/4. We don't have a lot of showdown history, he just abuses my obvious loose opens in position and I fold.

25/20 type with 8% 3bet

400nl 5 handed I'm UTG with black AA and raise to $12. There's 2 fish in the blinds so I'm raising very wide and good reg knows this. I've been raising a lot of pots in the last few orbits because I have direct position on the fish.

Good reg is CO 3bets to $32, folds to me and I flat. I don't even consider flatting 3bets oop vs him so I decided to have the nuts this random time I decide to flat oop. Prob mistake #1

T 4 7 ($70)
I check, he bets $40 and I call. Prob mistake #2

J on turn ($150)
I check, he bets $80 and I jam. Prob mistake #3

Stacks are $400 to start the hand.

Fwiw I was planning on staying in rhythm and c/c turn and c/c river but J on turn changed that.

Dislike every street, but preflop is the closest to being ok.

pre is fine but given your read on blinds and reg 4b is likely better. Flop is a cr for a number of reasons, most importantly being that you flatted a 3b oop from utg, id rather have a polarised range here.

I'm assuming you lost this hand as he had the flush you were trying to rep? At least since you didn't give the ending... I think the preflop play is fine. It's hard to 4 and 5 bet aces on such a short-handed table because you're essentially turning your hand face up unless you 4 or 5b often, which obv makes it easy to play against you post flop, as he knows he's either got you crushed or he's certainly behind, and it gives him a tip as to what scare cards he can rep. I definitely would have raised the flop, and then taken it by ear on the turn and river: either c/c or c/r the turn, and would play the river depending on how loose he is. At my reg casino, I play with a lot of bluffers so would need a good reason to c/f the river, might block bet him, its hard to say really, depending on quite how good of a reg he is.

If you've been nitting it up and folding a lot to his ip 3 bet's and you have a clean image, stop being a pussay and start 4 betting oop, he'll likely give you credit + will just have complete crap and fold a lot. Not to mention I really wouldn't have a flatting range here and starting to 4 bet in these spots is a lot better for your overall range. Considering you've been playing very abc vs him in this situation flatting can't be bad, as played I'd c/r flop $92-98 to rep a polarised range. As you called turn is close, I'd probably flick it in due to board texture and it's not that likely he'll bluff blank river's but the line stinks as a whole.

I actually prefer a flat preflop because he is likely to have such crap 3betting you and he likely flats his strongest hands with the fish yet to act. I'd c/r the flop for sure though and turn i hate crai and guess I might call turn but don't think he is bluffing this spot all that often.

When I mentioned that I don't consider flatting 3bets oop vs him, it doesn't mean I don't 4b him - it's just a standard 4b/fold strategy. Given the fish are in the blinds I consider his range weak so I wanted to try to flat w the nuts for once. Btw which hands would you guys 4b/f here? KQ type stuff?

the flat pre is fine/best more than likely given your description and image. what hands are best? standard card removal hands...

Yea, weaker broadway stuff, some suited connectors. Probably aq too as people don't generally shove that light in pos, especially with you raising utg etc

this is fine. i'd def c/r the turn if he bet bigger. as played to the turn, shoving is whatever, probably neutral ev, maybe slightly negative ev depending on how tight he calls your shove. i'd shove hands that are more vulnerable than AA. I think call/call yields better results.

-flatting the flop is not horrible and i think might be the better play.
-c/ring the flop is also very good depending on how often you c/r boards like this

however, given opponent's description, i think 4betting preflop is far far the better play.

lmao

this