Villain: Is a loosy-semilaggy 53/23

Was wondering mainly about preflop.

Poker Stars $2/$4 Limit Hold'em - 5 players

Pre Flop: (1.5 SB) Hero is SB with 2 A
2 folds, BTN raises, Hero 3-bets, 1 fold, BTN calls

Flop: (7 SB) 4 9 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets, Hero calls

Turn: (4.5 BB) 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets, Hero calls

River: (6.5 BB) K (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets, Hero calls

I'd probably just flat this pre HU and then let loosey-goosey value town himself with their entire range. I'm not a fan of the 3b pre if you're going to check/call and let Villain take control of the pot.

Edit: I thought we were BB, so ya 3b if you're going to play is fine, but ya don't like the check.

What's with the flop check?

+1

Preflop is tough. It depends on the BB. IF he's loose and you know he'll call you can probably flat. 3-betting seems a little loose but not horrible since you're ahead of his range but it's going to get you into a lot of weird spots postflop because he is loose and probably spazzy (from stats).

do you know how aggressive he is with good sample size.

unless he is super agro and you know he'll bets all the way with his entire range, your line is hard to justify, imo

i think that preflop is a clear 3bet regardless of what BB is like.

I disagree. If he doesn't steal very often I could easily fold this. Do you face a lot of awkward spots when you miss the flop and it comes 789 and you c-bet and he calls? What do you do then?

I also disagree with this. Playing a pot OOP vs two LAGs with this hand in a bloated pot really sucks unless you flop the ace.

I suck against a BTN raise when I'm in the SB with Ax and x<6. I never know what to do... More discussion on this would be very helpful.

I love the way this hand was played every street. The flop check/call down play is an expert strategy that most people aren't even aware of. You utilized it in the exact right spot: Against an aggressive player that looks like the barrel off type, on a board that everyone's peeling.

VNH

Hi.
- Usually I'll bet.
- I'd like betting out more w/ two cards higher than any card on the flop, especially Ace-Big, or with some kind of draw added. I figure buttons range is probably at least the top 35% of hands and maybe the top 40% or more. He could be holding any of the cards that flopped and would probably raise if he did.
- Some guys will raise with air, and that would force me to fold the turn UI if he bet again, but I might have the best hand.
- With the Ace-Suited Wheel Card I have backdoor wheel and nut flush draws, but those are weak draws and I thought I'd try to get a peek at the turn w/o risk of raise. My three Ace outs are with the worst kicker also. And there's always a chance he'll check too.
- A check from me there doesn't always represent weakness and doesn't necessarily give away my hand I could be going for a checkraise, obviously with A9, but also with most pocket pairs. Although I can't remember if I'd played with this Villain enough that he would know that about me. (This is an old hand I saved.)
- The villain is pretty laggy, this board is pretty safe looking, and I think I just decided to check it down and take my chances.
- It's just a change up. I don't like betting out 100% of the time. It's too obvious that many bets are being made with blanks, misses, or just overcards.
- Even if I bet the flop, if I miss the turn, am I going to keep betting? If I check the turn, it's giving away probably just as much, and maybe more information than checking the flop.

On the turn, I like the 4 because if he had one, I only had 3 outs anyway. I would lost those three outs, but the board pair makes it more likely he's still missed the board also.

On the river, I can't like the King, but it's one more bet to showdown.

Well, thanks for the explanation