Interesting 99 vs AK hand

[emoneypitt]

I'm on the button with 99. Cutoff raises 4x from $1 to $4. I really thought he was just trying to blind steal here with maybe a random A-rag so I rereaise 4x to $16 hoping for a fold and to make a quick buck. Well, he calls and this flop happens below. I was totally frozen here and I think he was too. We both end up checking to the river and fortunately, my 99 held up. What, if anything should I have done here different?


Hand #18165649605 begins at 2008/06/15
Dealing down cards
Dealt to emoneypitt [9c 9h]
ChangLeeSun posts the small blind of $0.50
ur_suspect posts the big blind of $1
shat4brains3 folds.
mattobie folds.
Swtwtr25 folds.
freepokerand folds.
MRBIG5670 raises to $4.
emoneypitt raises to $16.
ChangLeeSun folds.
ur_suspect folds.
MRBIG5670 calls $12.
Dealing Flop [7h Th Qh]
MRBIG5670 checks.
emoneypitt checks.
Dealing Turn [2c]
MRBIG5670 checks.
emoneypitt checks.
Dealing River [2c]
MRBIG5670 checks.
emoneypitt checks.
MRBIG5670 shows [Ac Kd]
MRBIG5670 has One Pair, Aces
emoneypitt shows [9c 9h]
emoneypitt has Flush, Ace High
emoneypitt wins $31.85

[Brooklynbum]

I don't see anything that wrong with this hand. Although, I think I would've tossed a bet on the river perhaps but checking it down isn't too bad either.

You're in position and making a bet could be trouble because you could be faced with a huge check raise. In that sense checking it down is a plausible option. Why waste a bet when he could be holding 1010 or JJ in this spot (in which case he might call for showdown value). Based the PF action the only hand you could beat is AK (which he had) or a lower pocket pair such as 88 or even 77 (I doubt he would call such a huge preflop raise with 66 or lower could he?). So in hindsight I think you played it right.

The post didn't say how much you or the villain had left in terms of stacks so I don't know if betting out on the river would've made a difference.

Sometimes players make a big deal of being aggressive etc. In this case checking isn't a case of being passive but a case of being cautious. Sometimes being cautious isn't a weak play, it's the only play.

[phosphorescence]

Originally Posted by emoneypitt . I was totally frozen here and I think he was too. We both end up checking to the river and fortunately, my 99 held up. What, if anything should I have done here different?

no wonder you were frozen, the 2 of clubs came out on the turn AND the river. which site is this again?

i guess it meant to say Ah on river?

anyway i agree with brooklynbum, i think you played it ok. if he's checking like this you can just check behind. i would've put what i call an 'insulting' bet out on the river just to get a bit more out of him. i.e. one he can't fold even if he had ace high. he would've bet out if he had a high heart as you'd been checking the whole way and he wouldn't risk a check-raise.

[emoneypitt]

My apologies everyone. I didn't realize I had posted an incomplete HH. Here it is.

PokerStars Game #18165649605: Hold'em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2008/06/15 - 21:56:45 (ET)
Table 'Boliviana III' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: ChangLeeSun ($102.80 in chips)
Seat 3: ur_suspect ($97.50 in chips)
Seat 4: shat4brains3 ($99.55 in chips)
Seat 5: mattobie ($73.40 in chips)
Seat 6: Swtwtr25 ($159.25 in chips)
Seat 7: freepokerand ($107.50 in chips)
Seat 8: MRBIG5670 ($94.50 in chips)
Seat 9: emoneypitt ($116.65 in chips)
ChangLeeSun: posts small blind $0.50
LaJune: is sitting out
LaJune leaves the table
ur_suspect: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to emoneypitt [9c 9h]
shat4brains3: folds
mattobie: folds
Swtwtr25: folds
freepokerand: folds
MRBIG5670: raises $3 to $4
emoneypitt: raises $12 to $16
ChangLeeSun: folds
ur_suspect: folds
MRBIG5670: calls $12
*** FLOP *** [7h Th Qh]
Mongo_SMASH joins the table at seat #2
MRBIG5670: checks
emoneypitt: checks
*** TURN *** [7h Th Qh] [2c]
MRBIG5670: checks
emoneypitt: checks
*** RIVER *** [7h Th Qh 2c] [Ah]
MRBIG5670: checks
emoneypitt: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MRBIG5670: shows [Ac Kd] (a pair of Aces)
emoneypitt: shows [9c 9h] (a flush, Ace high)
emoneypitt collected $31.85 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $33.50 | Rake $1.65
Board [7h Th Qh 2c Ah]
Seat 1: ChangLeeSun (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: ur_suspect (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: shat4brains3 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: mattobie folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Swtwtr25 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: freepokerand folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: MRBIG5670 showed [Ac Kd] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: emoneypitt (button) showed [9c 9h] and won ($31.85) with a flush, Ace high

[infinii]

I think the hand is played way too passively by the OP and extremely weak by the CO.

OP needs to throw out a cbet. If you're not going to cbet *any* flop after 3betting preflop...why 3bet?

If I were the CO, I'd be trying to steal this pot at the turn as it's not likely you're 3betting me with AQ.