1/2 game with regular straddle. Effective stacks are DEEP.

Hand 1: Villian is older man, loose and active and bets when checked to. Has deep pockets so doesn't have a fear of loosing but still is competitive and not at passive as most 70 year olds. I've never seen him bluff. Plays honestly and straight forward but likes to see flops and has a pretty wide calling range pre flop. Will limp call a lot. Will also pay off with any decent hand. Generally hates to fold. I have even seen him call cbets with overs on a dry board. He will also donk bet in HU or even 3 way pots with Top pair+ type hands.

Hero is mid 30's and has had a prety tight and solid image the whole night but has only played a few sessions with villian.

Hero opens to $15 with AdQc
Villain calls from BB

Flop = Js10h9s
Villian bets $20
Hero calls

Turn = 8h
Villian bets $25
Hero calls

River = 10s

Villian bets $30
Hero raises to $60

I thought about raising the turn but I felt Villain would bet most cards on the river. I also wanted to keep the pot small since this guy was running pretty good and also since he doesn't like to fold and we were both deep. I just min raised the river so I could fold if raised back. But his bet size told me he was value betting something like AJ.

Hand 2)

Villian 1 is this hand is irrevelant but has about $200 and is a typical 1/2 player who wants to gamble and play a lot of hands. Villian 2 has about $400. I played with the last two days and have a pretty good feel for how he plays. He is mid 20's preppy type but claimed to have never playd online. He does however, understand pre flop aggression and position better then the average 1/2 player and I am pretty sure he 3 bets pre are not only AA and KK.

Hero open in HJ to $12 with KK
Cutoff (V1) calls
Button (V2) raises to $51

Hero tanks and calls.
Cutoff calls.

Flop = 10s8s5c

Check to button who bets $110
Hero raises all - in for about $400

My thinking here was this I was either going to win or loose a big pot here. He either has AA, QQ or maybe AK.

I thought about 4 betting pre. But then I also thought if I see a safe flop I could make more money. As it turned out V1 caled behind so it worked out, but I'm not sure if 4 betting was a better play. Not sure if he stacks off with QQ pre here, but he might once he commits on the flop. Dunno...

Thoughts?

Thanks.

I would probably raise the turn in hand #1 given the V description of a bit of a calling station. I would guess he'd call a small turn raise ($60-$75) with any two pair and any flush draw. You can get more out of him on the turn while he's still got a few cards that could help him. Is V that bad that he's going to call a river raise with a 4 card straight, a flush possible, and a full house possible?

I like your line on the 2nd hand. If you 4-bet pre, you're either going to face an all-in decision against what is almost definitely AA or you're going to win the pot right there. As long as you're comfortable playing KK OOP against two opponents, I think it works.

One downside to flatting the 3-bet is the pesky V1 sandwiched between the big dogs. He's pretty much got the best relative position post flop. It's likely going to get checked to the PFR. He's likely going to bet and you're going to have to make a decision having no information on if the flop hit V1. His range is likely crushed, but if he flopped a set or 2 pair, you have no alert system in place to detect it.

I think your line in hand#2 has higher variance, but higher profit.

Hand 1 - If what you say about villain is correct, I would have raise the turn to 70 to try to make it seem like a bluff. Then on river you can throw out a much larger value bet. Not max value imo.

Hand 2 - Most, if not all, of people at low limit would continue after a 4 bet with JJ, QQ or AK; imo you'd be crushed with AA if he went all in or called after a 4 bet so the call is the right play. I like the check over to induce the bluff, and the cr all in is fine, because he could have JJ, or QQ to stack off, although it's still a tough call for a good percentage of players. But smooth calling 110 should set off alarms for him as well, so really it comes down to how well you know your opponent. I think c/r all in is fine, so is smooth calling and try to get him to commit his stack later. Here I think you got the max value.