We're playing 6 handed.

Hero ($700) is UTG with AK. Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, CO (~$400) calls $10, 1 fold, SB (~$400) raises to $18, 1 fold, Hero calls $8, CO calls $8.

The SB here is a passive fish who normally buys-in for $200; Hero was not present when he doubled his stack. He limps behind a lot preflop and doesn't extract much value with TPTK+, rarely does he bet more than 1/2 pot no matter what. Hero has played ~150 hands with him and has seen him 3bet preflop two, maybe three times, none of which got to showdown.

Hero is viewed as a solid TAG who doubled 2 orbits ago with QQ>TT against the CO in this hand.

The CO is a weak calling station, easily the worst player in the game's group.

Flop: $53 (AQ3) 3 players.
SB bets $50, Hero?

I'm curious if anyone thinks the call preflop is a mistake. Once I decide to call I know 100% the CO is calling and I hate playing pots stuck in the middle, especially 3bet pots. Folding seems extremely nitty 200BBs deep but I don't know.

What do we make of this flop action?

Preflop call is good i think. What can he have here? JJ+, AK, AQ? I think I call the flop and reevaluate turn.

I'm fine with preflop. We can't fold to the lol minraise as we're playing deep. Plus I'd love to suck the CO fish along for the ride (not wanting to fold him out to a 4bet). Plus stacks are deep and money currently in the pot isn't all that relevant to want to go after it with a 4bet.

I would just call the flop and go from there. We have some backdoors that might start bailing us out so I definitely want to see the turn. If no backdoors materialize and villain bets large again, then we could possibly consider hero folding (I guess?).

GcluelessNLnoobG

I think call is good, though 4bet/fold is better if you had AKo I think, and even with AKs is not too bad. I peel flop but don't love life.