In Depth Hand Analysis of AA

[travz21]

Background info -

I'd been 10 tabling NL200 6max ($1/$2 blinds) for about an hour. When I multi-table more than around 6 tables, I have a very limited read of peoples' playing style, except for a few here and there.

Anyways, on one of my tables I notice this optimistic "tough guy" not backing down from anything postflop and betting or pushing all-in with marginal hands at best. He was getting lucky so far during my session with him and we were both double stacked around $400. We'd had maybe 7 confrontations and I'd mixed up my postflop play with each one, winning most of them. It was evident that he was frustrated playing against me.

In the session, he would frequently limp with dump and call most raises he received pf, so it was nearly impossible to put him on a hand until later information was given. The hand I played with him was no different.

Here's the hand finally haha...

Full Tilt Poker Game #10386931545: Table Sweetgum (6 max) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:20:59 ET - 2009/02/02
Seat 1: TZwien ($419.55)
Seat 2: INVASION1 ($203)
Seat 3: sandy-gardens ($397.25)
Seat 4: landoo ($417.75)
Seat 5: gotigers2008 ($200)
Seat 6: cassini_jp ($200)
cassini_jp posts the small blind of $1
TZwien posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to TZwien [Ac As]
INVASION1 folds
sandy-gardens calls $2
landoo calls $2
gotigers2008 folds
cassini_jp adds $1
cassini_jp folds
TZwien raises to $8
sandy-gardens folds
landoo calls $6
*** FLOP *** [4s Jh Ah]
TZwien has 15 seconds left to act
TZwien checks
landoo bets $8
TZwien calls $8
*** TURN *** [4s Jh Ah] [Ad]
TZwien checks
landoo bets $22
TZwien has 15 seconds left to act
TZwien calls $22
*** RIVER *** [4s Jh Ah Ad] [7s]
TZwien has 15 seconds left to act
TZwien checks
landoo bets $42
TZwien has 15 seconds left to act
TZwien raises to $132
landoo has 15 seconds left to act
landoo folds
Uncalled bet of $90 returned to TZwien
TZwien mucks
TZwien wins the pot ($160)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $163 | Rake $3
Board: [4s Jh Ah Ad 7s]
Seat 1: TZwien (big blind) collected ($160), mucked
Seat 2: INVASION1 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: sandy-gardens folded before the Flop
Seat 4: landoo folded on the River
Seat 5: gotigers2008 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: cassini_jp (small blind) folded before the Flop


To start the explanation, every move I did was because I felt it was the most profitable way to play it, I'm not just a donk passive player who plays every single hand like I played this one.

Pf play was standard. Nothing worthy to note.

The flop brought me trip aces and also had two gut shot straight draws and a flush draw. I'm first to act and check, since my feel for him was that he is overly aggressive when he has control of the hand, and because I know he'll bet 90% of the time unless he has a monster, so I'm not worried about giving him a free drawing card. He bets around half the pot with $8, and I'm still not able to put him on a hand. He could have many different holdings here, and I decide to call because 1. He hasn't caught me bluffing yet so it would be pretty obvious (or it should be) that I'm strong if I raise here...and 2. I want him to continue to have control of the hand and stay overly aggressive. I'm ok with giving a cheap turn card because I feel like I'll get much more money from him later in the hand and it's an overall more profitable play than taking the pot down on this flop.

The turn brings me quads, eliminating any Ax hand I thought he could have had, and meaning it will be much much harder to win money from him unless he has 44 or hits a flush on the river. I'm first to act again and check, knowing he'll continue to bet almost anything. He bets $22 into a $34 pot and I just call because he won't call any raise I throw in here unless he's already got 44, which is unlikely. I also want him to keep control of the hand so he can bluff away his money if he has nothing up till now.

The river is a 7. I know betting out here will show lots of strength and won't get a call/raise unless he already has something he'll bet with if i check to him, so I once again check. Yes, you can check quad aces on the river haha. He bets $42 into an $78 pot which isn't that much. Obviously I have to raise, but the hard part is figuring out a number to hit that he will call, if it's even possible with the type of hand he has. Minraising here would be an blatant "call me" bet and will be called by nothing unless he has a full house, which he'd call a bigger raise with or push with anyways. So, I just over 3x his bet to $132. I thought this was the only callable raise I could put in. Yeah, I thought a bigger raise would be easier to call than a smaller one, hopefully that makes sense. He possibly would call off a Jx type of hand with a raise like this because he could think I'm bluffing on a missed draw or bluffing from the image of his weak bet. Or if he has a full house already, it won't matter what raise I make, the money is getting in regardless. Therefore, the bigger raise is a more profitable move in this situation.

It didn't matter, he folded anyways.

All in all, I felt I played this hand as profitably as I could have and made the best moves given my feel for the player and situation. I would really like to hear any comments or questions (if you even got this far haha), because that's the reason I made this thread. I learn from explaining and from your feedback, and you learn as well. We're one big poker family haha.

Good luck at the tables,
TZ

[gggrrrr]

think u played that very nice. good betting line, maybe if you bet the river he comes over the top.

[Huskers314]

I think you just about got full value. Like gggrrr said, you might lead the river sorta weak and see if he bluff raises, but as played you picked up an additional $42 on the river anyhow letting him bet. Well done.

[Gil_the_Mover]

I think this board is much to draw heavy to slow play vs a limp call. I probably lead for like half to 2/3 pot. There are soooo many hands in his range that he calls with and possibly even raises with on that flop to check imo