At the final table of a $500 guarantee, $2.20 buy in deep tournament on Merge.

Blinds are 4000/8000



UTG: 19.45 BB (VPIP: 15.97, PFR: 12.93, 3Bet Preflop: 3.23, Hands: 120)
UTG+1: 42.93 BB (VPIP: 18.52, PFR: 10.90, 3Bet Preflop: 10.94, Hands: 221)
Hero (MP): 26.3 BB
CO: 11.62 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 15.56, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 45)
BTN: 55.64 BB (VPIP: 23.61, PFR: 8.70, 3Bet Preflop: 12.00, Hands: 72)
SB: 18.32 BB (VPIP: 25.93, PFR: 1.89, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 54)
BB: 37.61 BB (VPIP: 29.17, PFR: 10.00, 3Bet Preflop: 9.09, Hands: 74)

7 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.2 BB) Hero has K K

fold, fold, Hero raises to 2 BB, fold, fold, fold, BB calls 1 BB

Flop: (5.2 BB, 2 players) A 5 8
BB checks, Hero bets 2.6 BB, BB raises to 7.8 BB, Hero calls 5.2 BB

Turn: (20.8 BB, 2 players) J
BB bets 27.71 BB and is all-in, Hero?

When he check-raises your cbet i'd fold, in turn I definetily fold.
As an alternative you can ch/bh in flop too and reevaluate turn.

Looks like you're beat

Also think checking behind would be ok on this flop

^+1

Checking back this flop looks best to pot control. It is unfortunate that it is an A-high flop but your very strong hand pre-flop became a medium strength hand on the flop and is now facing a check raise even through there are lots of AK/AQ and AJs in your pre-flop raising range.

Calling his c/r was not a good idea as it commits you to the pot with a medium strength hand. There are 3 smaller stacks so ICM make this even more of a fold on the flop when he check raised.

if you're looking to put yourself in a worse spot as possible, then congratulations you have accomplished that .. checking back here is better, and will allow you to evaluate/pot control/improve on the turn in the instance you are beat here. he's defending from the BB, and theoretically shouldn't be too strong. in a time where people are c-bet happy, it is also ok to check back some flops. .. it prevents this stuff from happening.

Thanks all.
I considered checking the flop but decided to go for aggression. I wanted to blow him off the pot if he didn't have a ace, just come out firing so to speak. Hard to fold kings...

I don't know how much it matters, but what kinds of hands are we putting him in here? AJ or AQ of diamonds maybe?

and I realize this is dumb, btw.

In position I'd check behind otf.

As played, fold the the check-raise. The BB has passive stats so when he check-raises like that at a FT he's gonna have it a lot more often than not.

On the flop, A5/A8/55/88 most likely. Maybe AQ/AJ.

Yes it is hard to fold Kings but you need to appreciate the relative strength of hands. Kings (and aces) are ultimately only a one pair hand.

Yeah, I kind of impulsively called the checkraise (cowboy fever maybe?), but regretted it pretty quick.

At first I was assuming he had the diamonds, because I wonder if he would he c/r the flop and then still shove a set or 2p when the flush came in?
But on the other hand he probably wouldn't c/r with AQ or AJ...

Thanks to all.

I'd balance between checking and betting the flop depending on game flow etc. Fold to the c/r, obv fold the turn.

I like this. If he doesn't have a hand, he's often folding to the C-bet.

He can also call a street with a worse pp or diamonds etc.

Edit- We can also try and rep diamonds by double barreling (assuming we didn't have the Kd since we'd rather draw on the turn) and bluff his Ax though I wouldn't do that often obv.

This

people do check raise aces on the flop. Just because you don't do it doesn't mean they won't. That said I agree with the general consensus that bet/folding flop should be done if you bet, and checking is a decent play as well.

The range you quoted (AJ+/diamond draws) seems reasonable for a check/raise flop range.

Interesting about the c/r. I am trying to put myself in the villains shoes here and AJ+diamonds makes the most sense. I think he might not c/r if he didn't have the flush draw, but top TPGK+flush draw def makes sense for a c/r.