Hero ($575): Younger 20's white male. Sat down with $200 and tripled up 1st hand with Aces. Been playing TAG for several hours playing mostly small pots, but no one at the table seems likely to notice.

Villian ($250): Upper 50's white male. Had KK during the aforementioned triple-up. Busted a couple more times holding TP medium kicker. Tends to open pots with raises, then resorts to fit-or-fold post-flop. Although he wasn't showing visible frustration, he may be starting to steam.

Preflop: UTG straddles to $4 and villian raises blind to $8 (the casino doesn't allow double straddles; this was the first time villian had done this)

Action folds to hero on the button with AQ who raises to $28, the blinds and straddle fold to villian who calls.

Flop: K42

Villian leads out for $25, Hero calls

I put villian on medium K's (K8 - KQ), some pocket pairs (22 - 99), A4/A2, and maybe some random bluffs. I felt as though calling looked the most like AK and would allow me to steal on turns which he checked. I didn't think I could fold for the $25 though that may just be my ego talking.

Turn: 3

Villian again bets $25, Hero?

I think this bet eliminates sets and total bluffs. Is shoving an option here? On the other hand, I am now getting just about the right price to call for my gutshot and Ace outs, and could maybe extract a frustration call on the river if I hit, although I would pretty much be forfeiting the pot if I don't hit. Thoughts on the flop and turn?

I just call the turn and fold any bet if an A or 5 doesn't hit..we definitely are behind right now, but after Villains turn bet there is about $128 in the pot..so being deep I think we can call $25 to see the river...don't think I'm ever raising here after the double barrel

Villains bet-size indicates a fairly weak hand that is often 'betting to find out where he is'. Calling and value-betting As and 5s is an option but i quite like raising to $100 here and jamming most rivers if called. Obviously folding if jammed on but i dont think that will happen very often.

Problem with raising to $100 ott and jamming river is if he calls the raise, then he's Not folding to your river shove when u miss because he already has $150 of his $250 in the pot..

Only reason I like the idea of a raise is because I put V on a weak K and a big raise will likely get him off of his hand...but we have to have a plan for every street..and we're just burning money when he calls our raise..he did call our preflop raise, he's likely holding something like K10

Fish can still fold getting 4-1, and we're really hoping for (and expecting) a fold on the turn as we rep a pretty strong hand.

Is there any merit to folding or raising the flop? Obviously folding is terrible to anyone decent, but at 1/2?

I feel as though raising looks the most like AK and I like a raise/fold line on flop. Raise it to $90 and fold if he jams.

If you want to make lots of money in NL than you've got to play in such a way as to not let know your opponents what you've got. Don't give them the opportunity to put you on any range. Don't raise OOP, not even with AA or KK. Just limp and see a flop. If you flop big, you play a big pot else don't. Raise in the c/o and OTB with AA, KK, AK so that most of dudes will put you on the wrong range and look you up ..., lol..., Play lots of hands in the late positions. I mean..., LOTS of them. See lots of flops. Get in and out many times until you flop big.

I play about 35-38% of all hands I get. Going IN and fast OUT is the secret.

AK

your villain description: slightly steaming + fit-or-fold. then he donks into you otf. not quite the right combo to bluff-raise/float against at any point of the hand. fold flop

This is LLSNL. I'm not bluff-raising here, I'd rather fold. Ace high might be good and yeah, you might be able to win it., but bluffing is a losing play unless you gave strong evidence he can fold.

You said he's already busted a couple times with TP medium kicker so why do you think he would fold to a raise? Secondly if he's starting to tilt then he's even less likely to fold.

I agree with the concept you are trying to preach here but to say don't raise with AA and KK OOP is a huge mistake... this is where most of the value comes in LLSNL. I agree you shouldn't be raising a lot of hands OOP but to specifically say don't raise with those kinds of hands is not optimal.

Also most players at LLSNL barely know how to put you on a proper range in the first place, trying to do fancy things to disguise your range is leveling yourself.

I'm folding the flop here. If he's sticking around with top pair medium kicker and going broke I don't think you're going to push him off a king here. The small bets are enticing but you're still chasing 7 outs. Fold turn as played IMO.

Raise flop to 80 and fold to a shove. His donk looks more like a mid PP than Kx.

Your posts are so ridiculous I don't even know where to begin. This account has to be a level...