Ok so $500 tourny in the money at Philly live.

Ok euro guy with huge chip stack shows up later in day. He’s older euro type guy with bomber jacket on. I don’t get sense he’s a crusher or anything. He’s been opening a lot early.

Hand he opens ep to 2.5x and I have A-10o in cu and 3! To 3x his bet. I wanna say I had 40-50bb and he had more than me. Flop 258. He checks and I cbet 1/4 pot. Like 40k into 160k and I wanna say he open to 20k and I 3! To 60k or something like that. He mucked AQo face up. I show A-10 for the giggles after.

Is AQ and easy call on this flop to 1/4? I was like wtf why did he fold that face up. I would be kinda embarrassed to fold that. I’m a young look kid (I’m 34 but look 20s and look like a wizard- nice watch/ Jordan gear/ circuit rings). In my head I’m like damn if I’m him, I call that flop to see how I personally proceed on turn. I felt I have to check my trash on turn and he can make my life hell on river by betting to not let me realize equity or he can check hoping to call bluffs. Idk I found it odd to show face up.

Like I think someone is super exploitable if they are folding AQ on that flop to 1/4. At least call and figure my hand out on turn bc I’ll prolly bet my over pairs but shutdown with my trashier 3 bets. Just found it a funny hand and wanted to ask if AQ was a simple call to a cbet oop here.

Until you showed him your AT he would think you had a pair or AK and its not worth calling flop bet. Now I'm guessing he and everyone else at the table will make the call with AQ moving forward against you...

Also, not sure why you are checking the turn much. Rep a pair and and get GTO/solver guys to fold to turn bets because now it is clear you have a pair. Unless they are GTO/solvers and recognize you.

For 1/4 pot I think he should continue with AQ, although this is a spot where suits matter a bit-- he should always continue with a backdoor flush draw, for example.

Not sure I would 3b this hand - you're not getting 3 streets on Axx, he might fold all worse hands and just call/4b better hands, who knows. Him calling or folding the flop is just a matter of what your preflop range is - his fold really isn't that bad given he's avoiding being exploited on future streets. I just think your 3b serves no purpose - even if he is opening super wide calling keeps in his worse Ax.

His image was fairly aggro- he opened like a super high % of hands and for bad sizing (aka not min sizing when stacks were shallow). I disagree I think this is a solid 3 bet candidate as we block the top Ax hands and are in position against a player we are much better than and just going to own post flop.

I’m probably checking most Axx flops as a form of pot control as we are never getting 3 streets from worse Ax.

Idk I mean I’m fine folding pre here but I think one has to 3! This as a freq if they want to be a good mtt player. We are going for it. Going for it gets us into spots in position against players we deem may be opening too wide and will fold incorrectly in spots they shouldn’t. Folding to 1/4th by him is a clear example of why this is good. I fee AQ even without back door flush is a call here against small sizing as I’m clearly betting same with nutty hands/ extremely weak hands.

This is why I think live mtt players are bad. They don’t 3! Enough and put opponents into awkward spots. If he calls flop, I’m like checking all turns other than A or 10. No way I’m betting 2 streets here with A-10 against sticky opponents.

I think AQ should call 1/4 pot size bet on this flop. I think 1/3 pot it becomes close and I would be leaning towards a fold/call (depending on the player and table dynamics). But If the villain gives you credit for AK/KK/QQ then the fold is correct. It's one of those spots that if he knows how you play, then he should 100% be calling. But against an unknown player, he is giving you credit for a stronger hand than you actually have. He is also probably not sure what to do on most turns, so figures it's best to just give up now.