This happened to me quite often in the last time. I 3-bet/squeeze, doesn't have a great hand on the flop (second pair, A-high, unimproved PP, maybe a pair of Queens, etc.). I cbet (because i want to fold out lower PPs or unimproved overcards) and get raised on the flop like in this hand.

The player is very decent and makes 4BB/100 according to PokerTableRatings. His stats are: 24/16/2 on only 20 hands.

The problems i have are a.) what range to put him on here and b.) is he ever bluffing here.



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (SB) ($54.30)
BB ($50)
UTG ($27.35)
UTG+1 ($50.45)
MP1 ($52.30)
MP2 ($81.75)
MP3 ($51.35)
CO ($28.30)
Button ($50.95)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, A
3 folds, MP2 bets $2, 2 folds, Button calls $2, Hero raises to $7, 1 fold, MP2 calls $5, 1 fold

I think the squeeze is ok, because IR is opening from middleposition. Maybe the 3-bet-size is a bit to small.

Flop: ($16.50) K, 8, 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $8.50, MP2 raises to $20, Hero folds

I threebet and try to represent AK, because I think he wouldn't call me with AK, would he? Either he hit his set (but why then raising?), slowplayed AA or KK (or AK) or he is bluffing. How likely is each of these options.
Is a Cbet a bad idea in this spot? Maybe he doesn't credit me with a hand because I squeezed?

Total pot: $33.50 | Rake: $1.60

The Cbet isn't bad, until you know more about villians 3bet tendencies it might not be the best idea to be sqing AQ here oop epecially if you are unsure about if you should cbet this flop.

Squeeze sizing is a little small. I'd say 8-8.50 would be better oop.

Flop looks good. Make sure to take notes. Also, flatting IP with AK isn't really bad and he can do it more and more if your squeeze is smaller.

To be honest I think SQZ size isnt that bad after all. Do you think villain folds if you bet 16 bbs rather than 12-13bbs? I don't think he will fold like AK AA-JJ no matter what you 3bet if its 12 or 19 bbs.

Maybe OP ran into a real hand, but I don't think the SQZ size is that bad.

pretty sure villain only has KK+, AK and bluffs here(though im having a tough time finding hands villain calls the squeeze with and turns into a bluff on this flop). most likely AK in his value range since KK+ 4bets a lot of the time whereas AK would flat more often. theres def a probability of him bluffing since your flop Cbet looks pretty weak. but i mean theres really nothing you can do anyway and i think you played the hand fine. i like $8 pre, $7 isnt bad tho i opt for more tho to drive people out. i think i actually bet more on flop like $10-$11 because if villain is a good player i think you want to be Cbetting the same amount whether you have a hand or not, also a good player will interpret this Cbet as weak and come over the top often.

Before reading OoLethaLoo's post I thought that the cbet looked really weak. MY first instinct would be to bluff raise you as well. I think something like 12 on this board is lot more believable. He will have really hard time continuing without AK, KK or AA and at least AA would probably 4bet you pre. I am not always good with optimum bet sizes so if someone more experienced has some other suggestion I am very curious.

why would you squeeze with AQ?

Wouldn't he flat KK and AK here? I mean, he really has by far the best hand and wants to keep weaker hands in the pot. Also, with AK I don't know if a raise makes sense, because which worse hands does villain think are calling his raise? Even KQ would mostly fold to such a raise I guess...
As a value-hand from my perspective only AA really makes sense.

If the board is not very drawheavy (like 3 of a suit or 789) I normally cbet smaller in 3-betpots (around 55-65% pot) - also when I have a hand.

because OP didnt want to flat and play a 3way pot OOP and the hand looked too strong to fold ldo. not sure i like squeezing with AQ either, however it does fold out "better hands" that you flip with (PPs) i guess its kind of the same as squeezing a junky hand since it will get called by the same range(a range that crushes you basically)

imo this is a good squeeze-spot in general, because villain1 is not in early position but in middleposition. In addition I have good equity against such flat-calling hands like QQ, JJ, TT and even some equity against KK.

If villain calls my 3-bet with Ak so be it, but I don't think that this is a good idea, because he misses the flop 2/3 of the times. I think it would be better for him to shove AK against my squeezing-range preflop (especially with him being the first raiser and so much dead money in the pot). If he doesn't like to shove AK he maybe folds it to my 3-bet which would be great for me . Right thoughts?