live 1-2 NL Holdem,

HERO just sat down ($200) and gets 44

hero is UTG and limps in for $4

guy in mid position limps in, (he has $180ish)

BB raises to $16 (he has $220ish)


i call, MP calls

flop AK4 rainbow (pot $48)

BB checks, I check intending to bet turn or check raise flop, also i am putting BB on a pocket pair, but i don't see him checking if he has an ace so its either mid pocket pair or possibly a monster like AA or KK

MP bets $18, BB gives a speech on how he thinks he is bluffing and says "you really got an ace huh", he acts like he is about to fold and says "I'll see one more"

at this point I am leaning towards BB having a monster or he knows how MP plays and is calling down with QQ and smaller pp

I call the $18 (did i screw up here by not raising, i know i don't want a smaller PP to catch a set but I also don't want to raise and push out a weak ace that MP might have)


TURN is an Ace (pot $104)

BB checks rather quickly, i should? and what to do if i check, MP bets and BB calls and gives another speech? easy laydown?

On the flop, you have 3 pot sized bets in your stack. It will be very easy to get it in by betting 1/2 pot on the flop, then again on the turn, then again on the river. You will get called down by pretty much any ace and probably a few worse hands.

This is a bad spot to go for a checkraise. You have no reason to think MP will bet.

Once MP bets and the BB calls, a check-raise looks pretty strong and I think it will fold out a lot of the weak Ace hands that would have called a 1/2 pot bet on each street. And if you just call the pot will be so big on the turn that they will be committed with an ace there.

I bet the turn about 1/2 pot and call any raise. If I don't get raised I shove the river.

If BB checkraises the turn after putting on that stupid act on the flop, I think he has you beat, but I'm not yet good enough to fold in those spots. Stacks are just too short and the pot is too big.

If the BB wouldn't have called I would've only called. Since he called I'd probably raise, but not terribly big.

I'm not a big fan of check/raising because it announces your hand and even bad players understand you may have a big hand. I like leading more then check/raising, but since the board isn't very wet I don't hate check/calling. On that turn card Id probably lead. An ace isn't folding and I'd like to take the initiative away now so I don't give a free river and get three streets of value. I'd lean towards half pot or so.

A couple of things to start. First, I don't understand the action pf. You're playing 1/2, why are you limping for 4? Did you straddle the first hand? If not, is it an unusual variation where it is 4 to open? In any case, you should be using this opportunity to get reads on this table by sitting out. Next, if it was your choice, you should be folding pf. I'm confident you are losing money playing 44 in the UTG.

Once it comes back to you, the pot has 32 in it. You can't guarantee that the MP is sticking around. Realistically, you can at maximum win 216 and it costs you 14 to call. That's 15:1 IO. Given you're oop, that just isn't enough to interest me. There's just too many hands the villain could have here that will cbet and fold when I hit to stick around.

On the flop, you hit gin. Not only did you hit your set, the villain hit a lot of his range that you beat, too. Your only question is how best to get stacks in. Given the action, your stack on the turn is 166 and the pot is 104. A call is fine, with the idea of betting the turn. That looks weaker than a c/r on this board. You bet 60. Ax is never folding. If you get the call, the pot is 224 and there is only 106 left. You can comfortably shove. If he folds getting over 3:1 with trip aces, he was never calling a raise on the flop.

at my local casino its 4 to open and your right- i probably should be folding 44 utg given how shallow the stacks are

I think the texture of the board/being 3way/ stack sizes make this perfect for a lead. The texture of this board allows you to break ranges down into essentially 4 components. The bigger sets, Ax hands, 2pr hands (probably just AK, but maybe the last A4s if thats possible) and air.

The bigger sets and 2pr hands are probably getting in no matter what. So its a question of how to maximize value from the air/Ax range.

If you check, the air is going to bet once at best and then give up most of the time. The Ax is going to bet but often fold to a c/r if you c/c the Ax is going to check river back a lot if checked to and then you miss a street of value.

If you lead Ax is calling and air is folding. When you bet the turn you can put Ax in a tough spot. But usually most of the aces in his range are calling at least the turn. Especially becauase you can bet relatively small because stacks can get in easily.

The preseence of a third player doesn't change much IMO. He will probably behave the same way, except you are likely never getting money from his air.

IMO this is a very straightforward bet bet bet situation where you can get the stacks in fairly easily without ever betting very large in proprtion to the pot.

Pre seems a bit questionable. I dont suggest limping.

On the flop you have 2 easy decisions, lead or c/r. If you think he is aggressive with his air, c/r his cbet. If you think he is passive with his middling hands, lead. Either way you can get stacks in on the turn or maybe river.

I'm opening or folding (mostly folding) pre for the most part. If the table is extremely passive I may open limp but for the most part I think we can just open muck.

Flop I bet with the intention of just bet-bet-cram. There's no reason to assume the other pre flatter will bet and I want to start building a pot.

As played flat the flop & lead turn.

i smell ak. sorry you lost

You're new at the table so you have no history as to whether the table is passive or aggressive. On a passive and loose table I have no problem limping 44, else I think you should open for $12 or fold.

As played, lead for $45 when checked to. If you're check raised, there are going to be more combos of AK than AA/KK (9 vs 6), so shove. If called you have to bet the turn, but you have to check/fold the river when villain breaks out "the speech". Its comical how many people actually give a speech with a monster ... . "So you got it? I don't believe you!" ... LMFAO.