I was playing today in a 1/2 300 max game. I was in the straddle (we playing with a mandatory straddle).


Villain 3 limps many hands and has poor fundamentals (calls a lot preflop, limp called in late position with A6off and then check called flop when paired his ace, checked turn, checked river.


Hero holds AQh. stacks are $325 effective.

Villain 1 (UTG) limps for $5, Villain 2 (MP) calls, Villain 3 (BB) raises to 15, hero calls, Villain 1 calls, villain 2 calls.

I would normally 3 bet here but this is the first time I have seen Villain 3 raise pre flop.

Flop $60

A Q 7

BB bets $35, Hero calls, UTG folds, MP folds.

Turn $130

2s

Villain bets $60, Hero??????

At this point I am putting the villain on AK.



Options and reasons?

1. Call turn, Call/Shove river?

2. Raise turn to 125, to enduce a shove or force the call so we can get it all in with ease on the river.

3. Shove turn?

I ended up raising the turn to 125, River came 5s, he shoved for 150 and I called. I realise that the min raise on the turn was probably a bad sized raise, and that I should have called or shoved? I was worried about getting AK or maybe AJ to fold by shoving on the turn.

If villain is never folding AK, optimal play is to flat turn and shove non king rivers. With no draws and these stacks, I don't mind a flat on flop and turn. Usually raise flop small then bet turn and river

I like the flop flat for obvious reasons.

On the turn the pot is 190 and the remaining effective is 275.

Min raising turn leaves you with an awkward river bet sizing.

The bet from V on the turn looks a bit weakish. If villain recognises this when you shove he may call with AK. AK spades was a real possibility given the bet sizing and if so he's never folding anyway.

If he's just got AK is he really gonna try and get 3 streets of value with you calling him down. A spade on the river is potentially a bad card for you and him if he has AK as a set beats him, 2 pair and a back door flush(10Jss QJss). A 10 or a K is another bad card for villain so I'm inclined to gii on the turn.

he ended up having AKs ugh...I guess a shove on turn would be better because I still would get a call. Too many scary river cards for AK