Game: Live 1/2
Hand: AJcs
Position: BTN
Stack: 520$
Vilain: Really good aggressive 2/5 player, about 28years old (Covers from BB)

Preflop Action: CO bets 12, I call, V calls, 1 more call. (45$)
Flop: 89Tr
Action: CO bets 20$, I raise to 75$, V calls, 2folds. (215$)
Turn: 5s
Action: V bets 75$, I?


What should I do?
Was my flop raise ok?

I don't like the flop raise. I think you want to keep the pot multi-way to get the IO if you hit. If the CO had called you'd be just about breaking even, (87$ for 195$ total), and your hand can't hold to a reraise. V's range is mostly speculative hands that flopped well here.

Fold turn, good chance BB already has it and you are drawing to a chop

Flop is spew. Flop is to multiway and this is a flop that would hit many ranges. HU I might try this against a tightish preflop raiser who I can put on AK/overpair

I like the way you played this. CO's flop bet is weak and you have a good draw. The wrong opponent called though. His flatting the flop raise is very strong in this situation. He flatted on a flop likely to hit somebody or give somebody an OESD and with the CO free to act again. Given that, folding the turn is best. The worst villain is likely to show up with is TJ and there will be more two pair/sets/straights in his range.

Flop raise isn't too bad but it does hit a lot of people's ranges like two pair, OESD, made straight. So the only people calling are most likely ahead of you. With the villain leading out now he could be afraid of the flush draw and therefore putting his money in to avoid a cheap draw. ATM we just have TPTK don't think that's enough with this board and how the action played out. It would be good to know which card on the flop was a spade to help figure out what combos people could have called with

3bet pre to 40. Anyone opening in the CO is usually wide enough where we can raise unless he's a total nit. I don't like flatting, we're just playing fit or fold (unless you are planning on getting creative and bluffing him off of the flop with air, but even if you are, it's still easier to just 3bet pre).

as played, I would call the flop since it's 4 ways. It's going to be hard to get the field to fold on such a drawing board.

ott, we don't have good odds to call and idk if we have any FE if we raise. This bet really looks like a fishy "let me see where I'm at" bet but I think we are likely behind and we can just let it go.

Pre is fine. Flop raise is pretty terrible. Turn is a fold.

Pre, I could see raising with AJo, and calling with AJs.

If we raise AJo pre, and CO bets: action?

If we call with AJs, pick up a bdfd OTF, and CO bets: action?

Both questions asked in light of villain lurking over there in the BB, or not.

You're right. Maybe it was a bit too aggressive to raise that flop multiway tho. And that turn bet was so small, it was frustrating having to fold... Thats what I did still!

Pre-flop is fine if your floating and stabbing at favourable board textures you can credibly rep.

Semi-bluff raising this flop 5 ways is pretty insane at 1/2 because your getting called so often and your going to have to fire multiple barrels in order to maybe get them off 2 pairs, sets and lower straights. Because you have position I'd float this with the majority of my continuing range. As played turn is a snap fold your drawing to a chop.

3! pre.

As played, snap fold the turn. V has some kind of nutted hand, probably QJ. Since the board is a rainbow, he's not worried about a flush getting there. His small bet is trying to induce a raise.

I guess pre is fine. I'd prefer to 3bet. I think fold, call, or 3bet are all acceptable options.

You should just call on the flop. A semi-bluff isn't likely to work against 3 players on a super wet board. Villain's cold call OOP with 2 opponents still to act, then turn bet indicates a lot of strength. Auto fold.

AJs plays better in multiway pots but in the end it is player dependent. Based on what is written in the OP there are no limpers, so this pot is quite likely to go HU even if we don't 3bet.

If we 3bet pre and he bets flop, it still depends how sticky players in the hand are and what his bet sizing tells us. We can raise the flop and bluff some better hands out (KT, AT) but there are more hands that will get it in with us and they all have us in bad shape. Given stack sizes I'd probably rather flat flop and bomb turn if he shows weakness.

I'd be more inclined to call to see if our equity improves on the turn and to allow others to join the pot

The main principle that I would like to impart about this hand is that we have a pretty mediocre hand and a pretty mediocre draw and in general should be looking to play small pots with small hands. The main problem with 3betting pre is what worse hands do we expect to call our 3bet. I'd rather keep his dominated hands in.