Typical Live 2/5 game at the Venetian. Villian just bought in, is a 50ish regular/grinder/no nonsense type that doesn't look very friendly (I make 5 or 6 trips to vegas each year and remember playing with him before- I don't think he ever said more than 2 words). I've been playing an hour or so, and up about $400. I've easily been the most aggressive player and pretty much have a good image - although I'm sure the villian knows little about me. I only play NLHE when I go to vegas - Washington state only allows LHE up to $20/40 or spread limit games up to $500 capped betting per street at the Indian casinos.

Villian UTG+1 ($1000)
Hero AKo on button ($1200)

Villian UTG+1 limps
middle position player min raises to $10
Hero on Button calls
UTG+1 calls
SB Folds
BB calls UTG+1 calls
4 players ($42)

Flop (KJ4 3 suits)
Villian donks $80 - I've seen this type of overbet before, ususally from local grinders, who want to take down the pot immediately with a KQ type of hand.

Min raiser folds

I was undecide if I should just call for pot control & since my hand strength was concealed. I ultimately decided to raise to $225, expecting to win the pot immediately. He insta 3 bet to $500 with his stack of green chips.

Hero ?, any feedback appreciated.

fold.

i dont see what you're ahead against here except for a bluff, with a slight possibility of a tie with another AK. i say fold. also, you see bets like this with bottom two or top/bottom often; in fact with the minraise preflop I'd say J4 is the strongest possibility

reraise it preflop next time for value. you have a strong hand in a good position, what more do you want?

definite 3bet pre, and i agree with boxed. this could very easily be K4 sooted or J4 and at best ur up against AK. foldy moldy.

j4 or k4 doesn't seem like a local grinder type hand

he probably has a set of 4's

wtf at not 3betting preflop and then raising flop

if you're gonna flat this pre then please flat this on the flop

I realize I made this hand tougher to play by not playing it more standard. I usually 3 bet this preflop ~85% of the time, but just called since I was on the button & had been raising alot. His 2x pot flop bet threw me off - like he was trying to over protect his hand. I decided to reraise him now expecting a call - and folding if he 3 bet me.

If I flat the flop, how do I proceed with the hand?

Ugh. Flat calling the flop leaves you with almost no information at all. If you flat call and he bets into you, you have to make your decision on how strong you think he is, and go with that. You have no idea where you stand in the hand at this point, but if it's a grinder and he's betting into you without a care in the world on this board, you're basically praying for KQ.

If you flat call and he checks on the turn, then you should bet into it and expect you're ahead -- and if he check raises you, barf. If he calls on the turn and then checks again on the river, I'm 50/50 between value betting it and checking behind, with a lean towards value betting.

This is all assuming there are blanks on the turn.

i raise it up pre flop, after the way the hand played out im folding flop. hes going no where and we basically trying to catch a bluff or hope and pray hes got a weaker K.

I think raise pre, sure.

But as played I think you should flat call flop. Aren't we either way ahead or way behind? I mean I guess raising is ok but if he calls you're basically in the same position on the turn as you were in on the flop except the pot is bigger which leaves less wiggle room.

I call this flop, knowing hsi range is either some mid-pocket pair hoping to take it down or KJ, 44, KQ(maybe). Then see what happens on the turn and evaluate.

Given current action i muck.