Villain at this point, 1.5 hours in, is playing about 30/25. Not sure about first-in, but it felt like he was playing many hands. Nothing to say about his 3bet frequency now.

Commerce 5/10 NL (9 handed)

Hero is UTG+1 with AQ ($1200)

Preflop:

UTG: Call $10
Hero (UTG+1): Raise $50
2 folds
Villain (MP): Raise $170
Folds to BB
BB: Fold, exposing K
UTG: Fold - As UTG folds sloppily, I see a brief flash of a face card, but no idea what suit or card. No one else could see this. UTG was Seat 9, I am Seat 1.
Hero: ???

4betttttttttt

4b is an option but careful not to overdo it, given the positions not sure how many 3bets he has there.

Do you 4b get it in AK there? If not you only have 12 combos of value KK-AA, so you can't have too much bluff. If you are 4betting all your AQo let's say, then you have another 12 for bluff. I think it's too much in these positions, so randomise to get around 6 imo. Calling ATs+ , AKo , TT-QQ probably, folding a lot with no other info

4 betting herr is marignally profitable against some regs but can be massively losing against players who are unbalanced and overcall. There's also no reason to balance your range against a fish you will never see again. If this player is unknown profile them and unless they seem like a reg and you just moved up in stakes or something just fold.

As a general rule you only ever need to 4 bet bluff people who you expect to play in repeated sessions

I probably should have mentioned villain appeared competent, and claimed that this was his regular spot except I have never seen him before and I am a reg (maybe taking a shot at 5/10 or visiting for LAPC and didnt want to admit it). That said he was playing a bit too wide. Not a calling station, just on the loose side of the spectrum. A week later he was seen at my table 5bet jamming J9s vs a SB cold 4bet.

I do 4b to get it in with AKo here, against all but the nittiest recs.

I did end up 4betting. He tanked 2-3 min and flatted, and I flopped a 7 or 8 high rainbow board. Checked down to river on something like 742T9 and he jammed after my third check. Im not concerned about the result just looking at the spot in general.

The following week, almost the exact same scenario developed against the same player. I chose to fold to the 3b.

I'm folding to the 3B here. You're isolation raising but you're still in pretty early position and by and large all but the toughest or craziest players will respect that.

4B is better than call here. Call sucks

What's your raising range in this spot? Do you limp at all? If I'm villain and I know you could have J10s or 77 here I'm pretty happy to 3 bet you wide, especially after the 5x

Is your 5x iso raise standard?

I think we need more info on villain's 3 betting tendencies and your image/how much you iso

I think you could fold here but I'd shudder after raising 5x in this spot and folding to a maniac's 3 bet