V1 is a reg, possibly views Hero as a noob due to past history I'm which I've taken strange lines against him. 1k stack

V2 is middle aged rec player. 1.5k stack

Hero is not a reg in this game, normally plays lower. 850 stack.

Game is 5/5, but the straddle is on for this hand.

5-handed.

V1 opens HJ to 35, SB V2 calls, Hero calls in BB with AK, Straddle calls.

Flop: AJ9

SB checks, Hero leads 75, Straddle folds, V1 calls, SB V2 calls.
Pot: 365

Turn: 3

SB checks, Hero checks, V1 bets 175, SB calls. Hero ?

I'm 3! preflop to $150 and then leading flop $130 if I get any callers.

I'm also prepared to 5 bet AI with 100 BB pre if I get 4 bet by anyone.

I'm flirting with just shoving the turn now.

3bpre

mandatory 3bet..... you screwed yourself 5-handed, now you're in a gross spot

V1 is correct in thinking you are a noob who takes strange lines.

+1 to V1

This is really a bad line to take, even if you were “balancing”, this is clearly not a spot to do it in.

Please forgive the lack of pf 3-bet for the moment. As I mentioned I am not comfortable in this game -- this is not so much due to the amount of money involved, but rather my mental game was affected by the presence of a pro player at the table who is regarded as the best player in my city.

Can someone please explain what is bad about my line?

V1 has a nut advantage -- he can have AA and JJ, and we can't.
Still we can have a lot of nuttish hands: {AJ,A9s,99}. We can also have KQ,KT,QT, T8 of spades.

We also block AA,AJ,A9. We don't block the NFD.

Considering we're 80BB effective, if we can have the nuts a lot of the time, I don't see why it is bad to lead the flop.

At this point our turn bet is effectively committing us to the hand. Therefore I think the decision now is whether to shove or fold the turn. If Villain is capable of betting AQ in this spot, it's probably close. But the presence of the other player, who's likely on a draw, seems to complicate things. idk. The math is too complicated for me.

It's hard to ignore pre-flop, because here we are. Basically, it's commit or fold. Personally, I'd commit.

Why did you check the turn?

I think you should have bet more on the flop, too. It's way too coordinated for basically a half-pot bet.

Pre is horrible

Op I can understand being intimidated if a really great player is in your game and you're super deep especially if he's on your left
They can put you in really tough spots

But you're 85 bb deep in a 9 handed game
There's no reason to be afraid of anybody

Don't flat AKs here in the BB. If you want to flat it occasionally, do so in MP, CO or BTN if you have people behind you that like to squeeze and you want to punish them with a backraise. Also, if you get to play AKs in position in a single raised pot then it's ok, not the worst thing you have good flush/straight potential. But mostly 3-bet of course and in this spot 3-bet always.

If you’re uncomfortable in a game to the point where it negatively affects your game don’t play it. And if anything, playing your hands more aggressively will generally make your decisions easier. You’ll be able to get folds and avoid larger SPRs which mean more streets of play which means more opportunities to make mistakes.

As for the rest of the hand, it just seems like you’re clicking buttons without rhyme or reason.

The biggest problem with flatting pre isn't OP's position, it's the size of his stack.

If there were three or four other people in the hand, and OP could close the action, and everyone was 500 BBs deep, then flatting would be up for debate out of the BB.

But flatting is terrible with 85 BBs.