Villain and I have been playing at the same table for a few hours but have not faced off in a heads up pot... Villain is playing pretty solid tag game.

Effective stack 650ish villain has me covered
Villain is mp I am bb
5 limps to me with aq and I make it $35 only villain calls. Flop is a7ahh. I lead out for $55 villain calls. 3x on turn I lead for $90 and villain calls after about 20 secs. River 5x hero?????

Is this another barrel or a c/c? Was torn since I'm getting value from a lot of hands in villains range with all lesser aces but crushed by boat possibilities.

Bet for value. I would go as big as possible.

bet $250

How much if I bet again $225? If I bet less and get a raise am I committing my stack?

250 on river. Slap villain w a white glove if he jams.

Bet 300-325 here.

Pot is $360... we have $470 left?... I shove

Def bet for value

Preflop: Go bigger, about $50. Against most players, if it's heads up or 3 way, plan to commit if you flop top pair.

Flop: Good, maybe a bit bigger, the goal is to size your bets so you can get all in at or before the river.

Turn: Bet a little larger.

As a result of your poor bet sizing on previous streets, now you cannot get all in without over betting. You've got more than a pot sized bet left. I'm still shoving. His range is weaker aces, slow played boats (smallest part of his range), busted flush draws, and a chance of 88 -1010.

Against A-X, shoving is best. Against busted flush draws, check/calling is best. Against 88-1010, shoving is best (well, maybe a smaller bet is better). Against the entire range, shoving should perform best due to the fact that it's pretty tough for him to fold a decent A-X here.

When I'm in spots like this, I like to remember a few things about LLSNL players. Even so-called "good" LLSNL players.

98% of LLSNL players are biologically incapable of folding trip aces. They just can't do it. Doesn't matter if your hand is face up as AK. They will shuffle their chips, give you the poker stare, say, "you got AK huh?" and then shuffle their chips some more, sit back in their chair, take a deep breath, flick their cards a few times, show their neighbor the ace, stare at you some more, then say, "I call."

So you can bet 1/2 pot on flop and 1/2 pot to 3/4 pot on turn, and then just monkey shove river. V can level himself and put you on a busted flush draw or even pocket Kings. Yes, I know that makes no sense, but it doesn't matter. Villains will put you on "whatever" they can put you on so they can rationalize calling because 98% of the time they just aren't folding trip aces.

Agree.

Boats probably raise you on turn realizing you have some strength.

Why can't you check river though? It gives him the opportunity to bluff missed heart draws, and he's going to bet all Ax hands for value. The only hands he really checks back are hands like 88+ and he's probably folding to a river bet with those.

Also, you say he's a pretty solid TAG, not sure A7,5,3 are in his range. I like a check raise here.

$135 turn/shove river. I would prob just over shove river.

Didn't act like he was playing AK, or boat. Wouldn't be surprised to see AJ here or even a chopped pot. He won't fold A anything - that takes much discipline and an impeccable read. Shove. If he folds, mutter to yourself pocket kings and see how he reacts.

as played is anyone check/shoving river?

I wouldn't, he'll be happy to check down A10, AJ..

For the love of all that is poker, please don't go for a c/r on this river.

Seriously, players are rarely if ever bluffing on paired Ace boards in which we double barreled.

Going for a c/r in this spot when we have the Ace is just not optimal and is the epitome of FPS.

Do the math. If we are in a spot in which if our villains are calling our river shove 98% of the time, why on earth do we ever want to check???

Our hand is face up as a big Ace when we raise preflop and double barrel. Villain knows we have an Ace and KNOWS we have a big ace so he will check back his weaker ace. The only reason he won't fold his trip ace on the river even though he KNOWS we have an ace is because quite frankly 98% of villains just aren't good enough to fold trip aces even when they "know" they are beat. However, those same villains will let fear keep them from betting river and they will check back river...

This spot reminds me of a situation in which both me and villain were in the exact same circumstances.

Hand #1: I am on the BTN with AJo and raise, 3 callers. Villain is in the BB and he has A4

Flop(16bb) J 3 8
chks to me, I bet 10bb, V calls.

Turn(36bb) 2
chks to me, I bet 25bb, V calls.

River(86bb) 2
V chks, I chk.

V shows A4 and then says, "Man, I thought you were going to bet river"

Same situation happened, except reverse, I'm on the flush draw and V is in position. He bets 1/2 pot on flop then 1/3 pot on turn. I hit on river and I lead out 3/4 pot. V tanks and says, "You hit the flush huh? Okay I call."

I show the flush, he slams his fist on the table and shows his TPTK hand and says, "Nice river"...

He put me on the flush and still called me. If I check that river he is checking back like always. Same thing with our trip Aces.

Whenever we are in these spots and our hands are all face up, for the love of all that is poker just bet the river and avoid the FPS c/r.

As soon as I see that flop I am dividing the effective stack into 3 chunks to gii by river. Of course divide mentally not physically