AQs – Misplay of the Day

It has been a while since I last posted some meaningful hand histories, I need to make more of an effort to do so. Hopefully, this will lad to less leaks, less complacency and more overall improvement.

Villain in this hand is 27/11/1.05 over 400 hands, he is tricky and hard to put on a hand.

Poker Stars, $1/$2 NL Hold’em Cash Game, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $196
UTG+2: $62.50
MP1: $97.35
MP2: $264
CO: $191.65
BTN: $200.80
Hero (SB): $277.95
BB: $200
UTG: $195.80

Pre-Flop: A Q dealt to Hero (SB)
3 folds, MP1 calls $2, 3 folds, Hero raises to $10, BB calls $8, MP1 folds

Pretty standard, isolating a limper with a strong hand that is likely best. Big blind cold calls, I’m apt to put him on a pocket pair, a big ace or big Broadway cards.

Flop: ($22) 2 7 5 (2 Players)
Hero bets $15, BB calls $15

I flop the nut flush draw on a baby board, betting gives me two ways to win the hand and obviously is the play here with the highest expectation. He calls… seems strange he would call and not raise a set here, I think he folds out everything, but pocket pairs/draws here.

Turn: ($52) Q (2 Players)
Hero checks, BB bets $30, Hero calls $30

I pair my queen, now I have a hand that I can win at showdown with, but I’m still a little worried about what he could be holding. I check/call, I think my reasoning at the time was for pot control and on reflection I’m pretty happy with that reasoning. There aren’t too many cards that can come on the river that will scare me.

River: ($112) T (2 Players)
Hero checks, BB bets $110, Hero calls $110

Okay here is where I feel I misplayed this hand. Number one, my line choice was wrong, I should have opted to bet/fold about half the pot. It gets me value from worse hands, it might lead him to just call with better hands that he would have bet more with if checked to and if he shoves I can still safely get away from the hand. Secondly, I don’t think he is bluffing when he bets pot, its more like a bet where he thinks I have something strong enough to call and he is betting big to make it look bluffy when in reality it is pure valuetown. My hand has to be good 1/3 and I don’t think it is in this spot, I really have to work on being less of a river calling station

Results: $332 Pot ($3 Rake)