Reads: Unknown TAG. Black and seems decent.

UTG limps. I limp with 53 in the CO. Villain completes from the SB and BB checks. Flop comes A42. Checks to UTG who bets $10 into $8. I make it $30. Villain cold calls from the SB. Turn is 9. Villain bets $20 into $78. He has $170 behind and I have him covered.

I think his range is flush draws (probably excluding weak ones like 78 while including only king high FDs, bottom pair +FD, and gunshot straight draws +FD) and decent A-X like A10o or AJo.

Two options: Which is better.

A. Raise a small amount, deliberately offering great immediate odds and seemingly decent implied odds, with the plan of folding to a spade river. This option fools him into thinking he has the right implied odds (when in fact there are no implied odds). Additionally, this may get him to continue with A10 or AJ where he might fold to a larger raise.

B. Raise a larger amount with the plan of paying off to a spade river. For example, if I make it $100, his immediate odds are 2.73:1 and his implied odds are 3.6:1. Even if he gets his shove on the river called when he makes his flush, he's still not getting the right implied odds. Odds of hitting the flush are 4.11:1 by the way.

B for sure if you are trying to make money

bomb it like you are committing yourself with a draw.

bombs away

raise or fold pf, limping with 53s is pretty lol

B is better against most villains, and the better the villain, the better option B is. A is really only good if villain is a predictable fish, where you can range his hand pretty tightly and you know he won't overpay to chase draws. If his range is AT+ and spade draws, then you can gauge the river correctly almost every time and extract more money.

The better the villain, the more he will bet a spade river even if he didn't have a spade draw and the more he will fold hands that can't draw out on you even to a small bet. The second factor is particularly insidious, because it forces you to balance your hands and bet other hands small also. This means your other winning hands will now win less, draining away your profits.

I choose whats behind door number B.

flatting pre isn't awful if stacks are somewhat deep and there is some pretty awful post flop play going on, but agree it shouldn't be a habit.