I thought this was standard when I actually played the hand, but I was discussing it with a friend and he disagreed, so I thought I'd post it here.

This table has been very passive so far. Virtually no 3-betting preflop, and I cannot count on anyone else to raise.

The main villain in this hand is, as far as I can tell so far, a straightforward player who doesn't get out of line preflop. Postflop, few reads so far, I think he's fit-or-fold. If he's been paying attention (which is possible for this villain), I have been c-betting a lot of flops after a preflop raise, but he has yet to play back at me.

Effective stacks are ~180.

Hero is UTG with 77

Hero raises to $7, 5 callers including Villain in the BB

Flop A76

Checks to Hero, Hero bets $30, folds to Villain, Villain raises to $80, Hero...

Villain has just check-raised about half his stack. He's got under $100 left. I'm pretty sure his raise means that he has an ace and has decided to take a stand against me. Can I expect him to call if I shove right now?

if your read of villian having an ace is correct, which I would assume it is... Or maybe 2p just 3bet all in. No way he has AA here, so get it in as a huge favorite.

Either flat calling or shoving here is fine.

I like flat calling because all the money is going in when we check the turn anyway. Given the stack sizes and villain's range we are totally committed to this hand and we're never folding even if an A comes on the turn (meaning A6 and A7 now beat us) or if a T or 5 comes on the turn completing the only credible draw.

Lets look at villain's range:

i) If he has 76 or 98 then we want to shove now.

ii) If he has a big ace then we want to give him another card lest he is capable of folding to our shove on the flop.

iii) If he has A6 or A7, then it doesn't matter what we do, all the money is either going allin on the flop or turn regardless.

I think he has either the big ace or the A6/A7 way more often than he has 76 or 98 so flatting would seem the slightly better play.

Calling is the exact same as shoving except when you shove flop, a tiny percent of the time he'll turn out to be a moron with A5s who says "Well, I guess this is no good then" and folds.

So call.

This is one time you can flat call. Shoving is good if this player can not fold an ace. Either play is fine, just dont fold.

Flat flop 3bet and donk turn for $35

Easy shove. He'll call, most likely with two pair or a big ace. Even if he folds, w/e you got half his stacks.

I like playing my strong hands fast, but I do that to have the right reputation for future bluffs.

In isolation, calling IP is probably safer way of getting the money in. However, in exactly same situation I had a villain c/r for info, I called, check turn, I bet turn and he folds with TP

Yeah if you were deeper this would be more of a decision but I think he is pretty much committed here. I think calling is slightly better than shoving because of the times he convinces himself to fold for just under $100 more (which can happen at a 1/2 game although not if the player is as competent as you give him credit for). Just call and expect the money to go in on the turn.

If I choose to flat the flop, this is the line I'm planning to take--either call a turn shove or shove the turn myself (villain is in the BB, so we have position, for anyone who didn't notice). But this raises a good question--if he's going to fold to a flop shove, how much more likely is it that he would instead be willing to get it in on a later street (turn or maybe even river)?

If we're going to get 5 callers, is it standard to raise a middle pair UTG to $7? I'd rather limp myself; or is the point to juice the pot for times like these?

As played, I just flat the flop check/raise. We're in position so we won't have any problem getting the money in on later streets and I'd hate to scare off an A that could fold to a 3bet.

I think with us just calling the flop check/raise (even though it is for a good amount) might show enough weakness for the villain to be more confident to get it in later.

Also, do we necessarily have to shove turn? Anything wrong with getting it in with two gay $50 bets at a time if checked to? (although if board becomes more drawy on turn perhaps I wouldn't do that due to scare cards killing our river action)

Gjustlikethefrogboilinginwater,villainmightnotreal izehe'scommitteduntilhe'sallinG

+1

I don't see how shoving is a horrible idea, but there is a >0% chance that he folds if you shove here... whereas if you just flat call he's certainly getting the money in by the river. So, I'd just call. It's not like you are worried about the turn card.

I have been playing very aggressively, so if I suddenly start underbetting I will expect villain to know something is up. (This is based on this villain. Maybe against someone else I might try that.)

Sorry for the double post:

Everyone else has folded.