1/2 game in PA, hero recently won a 3 way allin pot to have $900 and villan is the big stack at $1000. He is a classic young online player with the hoodie and headphones, but plays well and has been the table bully. Hero is an old fart.

hero dealt AsKs in mp2

utg (~$300) opens to 13, utg+2(villain) 3 bets to 39, folds to hero who ??? calls. Folds around to utg who also calls. Usually with 100 bb this is an atomatic 4 bet but this deep I didn't want to get allin pre.

discussion of preflop and plans for the hand postflop

What type of player is the utg? Villain could be iso raising him. What type of range will vil stack off with postflop if we flop tptk? Do you have any post flop steal equity if we miss?

lol @ auto-4-betting AKs in live poker.

Can you give us a range for utg opening?
Range for villain 3betting utg+2?

Utg was quiet but no real read on him. I don't think villain was iso-ing weak but he had 3 bet more often then anyone else at the table. I gave him a range of TT+ Ak+.

I had not seen villain get his stack in bad. He had taken a couple of tough beats early in the session when he had gotten his stack in ahead. He had won a 4 way allin with AK when he flopped top 2.

I had won my allin pot with a pair and flush draw on the flop against a set and 2 pair so I doubt villain views me as a threat. Villain can laydown a hand.

Call and evaluate flop in position, folding to action if you miss.

Pre - ranges are too strong to 4-bet.

I don't think flatting or 4betting would be horrible. You're read on the villain is he's bullying the table. That said if the villain 5bets we really don't want to be getti got in preflop for those stacks. Flatting is okay but if we do that we still haven't really narrowed villains range at all and when we miss most flops an aggressive player is goo g to keep betting and we are still gonna be guessing his range.

With an ace and king blocker there is less chance that either player in this hand has AA, KK. Same goes for the original raiser who with his stack I'm comfortable getting it in against.

My line :

I flat. Assuming the rest of table folds (I don't want to comment on them squeezing cause I don't know stacks sizes, images etc). If original raiser squeezes and villain flats I'm shoving over the top and putting him to the test. If we flat and original raiser flats we are in position with a great hand.

Easiest 4-bet to $90-100 ever. If he has AA or KK, he clicks it back like a true online kid especially this deep. See flop and evaluate his action as we do have position

When I considered 4 betting I thought a raise to 75 was a better bet size. It doesn't bloat the pot too much while seeing if he does 5 bet it.

Call > fold > 4bet

flop 7d Th Jh

UTG checks, villain bets 75, hero folds, utg folds and villain flips QdQs.

I think as played this is a standard fold. Knowing what he had I think the 4 bet pre is more interesting - I don't know if he 5 bets this pre. If he just calls, although this flop looks good for him, (and if I'm capable of a move) he is in a tough spot as AA, KK, JJ and TT are all in my range.

Flop is a pretty trivial fold, IMO.

Cold calling a 3b is a pretty strong line. Some times stronger than 4b especially at low stakes live. Flatting pre sets you up to see how strong utg really is and that being said also gives more info on villan. ie getting to see how he reacts to utg raise etc... (obviously it didnt play out this way) but good thing to remember for the future. I think you played it fine and made a simple fold pf. Nice that he showed you his hand make notes !!

I strongly doubt he would 5-bet. Since you are both deep, he will likely call however, especially if UTG calls. You will have a tough time making a move on this flop texture. JJ/TT will probably not be considered in your 4-bet range.

This is not a good spot for a 4-bet just b/c the villain plays aggressively. Quiet UTG raises, V (UTG+2) 3-bet narrows his range dramatically. You played the hand well.

Lol being as I compare very closely to the "online kid" in this spot I 4 bet to $100. I try to iso all the time when I get a stack because I am so confident in position. Based on the reads you described for this villain he most definitley has it in his arsenal to iso players. It is a standard 3x re raise which a lot of times can be a betting tell but not relative in this scenario I would say 35% of the time maybe more he is isolating. I like 4 betting here because you can take down a $50 pot with no flop, you really are going to bring out the first raisers hand strength, and you will narrow the online kids range. If first raiser jams and second raiser folds I'm calling obv had invested 1/3 of that opponents stack. If first raiser jams and second raiser flats I'm snap folding. Second raiser would go from raising to $39 to putting in 3 stacks of $100. That is 100% of the time AA or KK. Worst comes to worst first raiser folds and second raiser calls and we get to play a pot in position with a strong holding.

Majority of the time I smooth with AK, thats what it is 2 big DRAWING cards. Auto '4' betting with this hand in cash is defiantly a losing proposition and the average AGRO table. Yes if the table is super active and the player 3 betting 3 bets light then its correct. Smooth for deception especially in position and deep stacked.

I would think the described villain is 3betting wider than your thinking here.

I'd lean toward the 4b.

You said your "an old fart" old farts rarely 4 bet anything other than AA ever. Villain knows this, he wont be 5betting and you'll have the advantage of putting in the last bet as well as having position.

I would be following through on every flop.

I would just call and take a look at the flop