Hero is young asian kid in his 20s sitting on 1500 stack. Playing a pretty TAG game for the most part. Villain has 1000, has been playing with hero for about 4-5 hours. Hasn't been out of line, plays pretty snug, opens a lot of hands in late position, cbets hands that have equity. Not a pro, but not a fish either. Called hero light in a small pot with A9 on QJJ98 board and was good. Most my show down hands have been premium hands. He's on my right and I've 3bet him light 4-5 times in position and he's folded every time (mainly because I think he's opening late position pretty light)

UTG (400) opens $20, MP(1000) calls $20, Villain is in CO (1000) and 3 bets to $60, Hero is on the button with QQ

Hero?

I had 2 lines I was thinking of taking:

1. Flat and set-mine because this was CO's first 3bet in 5 hours. His range is super strong. If I 4-bet and get 5-bet I probably have to fold.

2. 4-bet to 170 and see what he does. If UTG ships 400 and CO folds, I'm going to call. If CO 5-bets, I'm folding.

What do you think is the most optimal play?

With the dynamic, I would lean towards 4b/folding.

Closer to a fold than a 4bet. Flat is correct.

I have no idea why we want to 4bet here

Flatting is super standard. 4b/folding is terrible

Flatting seems bad because then UTG and MP get a good price and now we're faced with a 4 way pot with QQ. We won't like any flops unless they have a Q in them.

So you're advocating to flat and set mine and just fold on the flop if we miss, putting our CO's range to only AA/KK? Or call flop and re-evaluate turn if it goes 4 ways to the flop?

Flatting looks really strong as well.

flat. he 3bet an utg open to $60 which is very strong

just bc you flat, doesnt mean you are set mining. play some poker!

Didn't like the results of the hand, thought maybe I played it wrong.

Anyways, I flat 60, UTG flats, and MP flats.

Flop is K 10 8 rainbow, checks around. Turn Q. UTG bets 125, CO calls, I call. River 7.

UTG jams his remaining 225, CO folds, I called and he rolls over AJos.

UTG range on turn looks like 10 10, 8 8, KQss, K10ss and AJ. CO range on the turn looks like JJ now.

Thoughts?

Just shove the turn and the hand is well played, I think. I don't really see much reason to flat.

I dont really think you can get away from this
Preflop the flat is pretty standard but on the flop I dont really think betting here is that great the villain that 3b pre should be all over this flop so unless he got JJ or AQs you are going to be crush.
Turn you hit your set and you got a bet with a call I think you have to raise as a few cards can peel off on the river that can make it real difficult.
So you paid the guy off on the river and rolls over AJo it sucks but all I can take from this is that this guy doesnt fold to 3b enough, if he is calling with this then he is calling very light OOP so take that info and abuse him

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Turn I should of raised, but yeah... can't be too results oriented I guess.

I think pre-flop flatting > 4bet/folding.

I think when im playing well im often folding this pre in this spot. I know it sounds really nitty but i dont see many good things happening here. We're getting coolered plenty, getting outflopped plenty, and folding the best sometimes on bad flops too. My 4 bet range here is probably AA, KK, AK sometimes, and then some Ax bluffs if i think the others are weak. QQ are so awkward here, and if you do flat, so many villains will accurately put you on your hand, which is also awful in poker. And i definitely prefer folding over 4bet/folding, which seems silly. As if we are making a play out of some sort of obligation to our hand strength. Seems silly to me. Raise for value, or bluff, and this hand isnt either of those things in any clear way so im happily folding unless i think someone is likely tilting hard, in which case im going for value and NOT folding to a 5 bet.