Hero ($465) - playing TAG, about an hour in, has only shown down KK.
V1 ($850) - seems to be playing about every third hand

The hand:
$10 UTG straddle,
Hero raises from UTG+1 to $30 with AK
V1 calls from MP.:
V2 calls from button.
V3 calls from straddle

Flop ($130):
T 3 7
Straddler checks
Hero bets $60
V1 raises to $160
Folds back to hero ($375)

Hero?

Has he raised with a draw before? How often does he raise the flop in general?

Given our stack size and equity I want to just get it in now. We’re really only crushed if he has a set.

Easy ship. It is hard to find a range you are not flipping against. If he ever folds you are printing money.

Raise all in. Technically you have less than 50 bb's so you can't afford to hand him all your equity in the pot for free since we own half the pot rn.

Thanks - it took me a minute tô work it out, but I did raise all in.
Villain insta-called, and the river brought me the Q for the win.
He mentioned in a subsequent hand that he was on tilt from losing with a set to me, and I can believe that’s what he had.

I'm not by any means advocating for a fold. You have a big hand 2 overs and nut flush draw. However in the past I never really knew exactly where I was equity and range wise and it improved my game massively to find out. First thing when he re-raised you, is he ever doing that with TPTK or an inferior flush draw? Do you think he could have flatted you pre flop with QQ ( I don't think so given that opponent had the btn and straddle behind him). So realistically his re-raise range on the flop is sets, TPTK with spades (AsTs), and pair and a flush draw type hands (8h7h).


I am not saying fold (that's up to you and how you handle the variance of poker). I know that my game grew once I started to really understand certain spots that come up in holdem such as these. NH GG

He has a set almost always based on the call preflop then flop raise for a large dollar amount. The only other hand that remotely makes sense is JJ but even then, probably not. It is possible he has a worse flush draw or air but very unlikely.

I don’t mind getting it in for meta game purposes but I believe shoving is as neutral EV as you can get. Ikm not sure calling and evaluating is much better though. And folding is obviously neutral EV. So since they are all about equal, I probably go back to wanting to be perceived as an action player and jam. I also like having a large stack at the table and this is a chance to make that happen.