Live NLHE 2/4€ in a poker club in Paris.

The game has been running for more than 5 hours, and most players have quite deep stacks, 500 to 1200+. They are a mix of weak passive players, 1 wild gambler and 2-3 solid tag/lag regs. I currently have ~650€.

I think i have a solid image at the table, losing some money on 2 setups but showing strong hands at most showdowns, playing my share of hands but not more. I have just won 2 pots, on the second one i made a good call on the river with a light holding on a reg who tried to bluff me with air. i think i have earned respect from the good players.

I am on BB, holding QJ.

2 weak players (stacks ~1000 and ~500) limp in middle position, a competent lag reg (stack ~1000) on the button raises to a standard 20€, SB folds. I am pretty sure villain raises here 50%+ of his hands to isolate the calling stations. He probably does not hold a premium here because with these limpers he could raise more (~30-35€) and still be pretty sure to get at least one caller, and that's what he did earlier with QQ and AA. I put him at least on any connector, one-gaper, ace or king suited, broadway, small pair.

I elect to call, which i believe is pretty standard here (any objection?). As expected the 2 calling stations call the 20€.

Pot 80€
Flop comes A, T, 8

Interesting flop, double gutshot to a nut straight, and some of my opponents probably hit a piece of it. i could sometimes lead out here, but i suspect the button could raise light, so i want to wait and see: i check.

Both calling stations do not seem to be very interested and check (i believe they would probably bet a weak ace here), villain on the button cbets 30€. I expect him to bet here almost 100% of his range, the bet is pretty small and it looks like he wants to buy the pot for a cheap price, though it could be a trap.

I decide that it is a good spot for a checkraise, because i have a lot of fold equity imo and i better disguise my hand. I want to represent TPGK, 2 pairs or a low set, which are all pretty much in my range, and in the few cases i am facing a good hand and get called i can probably win a big pot if i hit a K or 9. Moreover i expect the weak players to slowplay and flat call in the rare case they hold a set, they would probably also call 2 pairs or a good ace.

I make it 80€, the 2 calling stations fold, villain on the button thinks one minute and reraises to 180€.

The line now looks pretty strong. Villain is very agressive but i do not think he would ever do this on a pure bluff. I am not absolutely sure about his range here, is it a raise for value or possibly for info? it could be imo from most likely to less likely: AT, A8, 8T, 88, TT, AK, AQ(?) I do not think any kind of draw (97, J9, QJ) makes sense.

Well it seems the spot was not that good, but given the odds i have to call those 100€ and see the turn. He probably now puts me on 2P+, maybe he is considering the draw?

Pot 440€, effective stack 450€.

Turn comes A

Ugly card for me, i am likely to be drawing dead now.

I check, ready to fold. Villain checks. I am not sure if this check gives me much information, because it may be consistent with most of his likely range and his view of my range. He could now hold the nuts, be scared by the ace as well if he holds T8 (or 88??) - or control the pot with AK (??).

River comes 9, giving me the straight

Well, it gives me a slight hope, but also a small headache. Can i consider a check-fold? Then it would give villain the incentive to bluff me with the few hands i beat - or even worse value hands i beat, like AK, if ever in his range.

I opt for a blocking bet of 150€, villain raises all in after a few secs. I fold, sparing imo 300€. I cannot see how to ever advocate a call.

I cannot point a big mistake in my line but still i cannot take this hand out of my head: villain did not comment, but most players commenting (not experts for sure...) at the table were considering AK as villain's most likely holding, which i think is foolish... but it was a bit tilting so i left :-)

Can you help me point the potential weaknesses of my line (or reassure me...)? Specifically, how do you like the checkraise on the flop, and what line would you advocate on the river?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

IMO Blocking bet on the river is a huge mistake.

It just looks pathetically weak when you check the turn and bet so small on the river. You're begging him to ship it with almost any value hand.

I don't think he checks many boats on the turn, given the flop action he probably puts you on some sort of Ax combo and will try to get max value with his boats.

But if you're really weighting his range that much towards boats, take a C/C line on the river instead.

I'm personally happy to get it in on the river as played.

I fold preflop.

On the flop, some of the thinking you suggest is outrageous. Why do you think leading would be good? Why do you think the two limp callers would lead into the PFR with Ax?

I also disagree with you thinking you have a lot of fold equity. You simply can't rep a ton of hands that are strong, A8, t8 shouldn't be in your perceived range. So you can rep ATs, 88, TT, J9s, QJs. And I wonder if your opponent thinks on this board texture that you c/r your sets, same question holds true for Ax type hands. Are you raising AQ/AJ here? Does he think you will? What I am getting at is that your opponent can "hit" this board better then you can, so I think raising here is exploitable.

On the river your hand because a bluff catcher or an opportunity to allow your opponent to value town himself. Despite the unlikely nature he has many actual bluffs in his range, we mainly have to just think that - Your opponent is going to bet Ax anyways and we can call. It isn't like he is ever going to check back a hand that we could have vbet against. So we might as well check and hope he does something dumb. Bet/folding isn't horrible, but I think checking is better. I'm sure some people will advocate a river c/f as well.