I could use some help w/ this kind of situation that arises every now and then.

100$ NL hand

Hero is dealt [Kd] in the bb

Villain on Button bets 6$
Hero raises to 18$
Villain calls

FLOP: [5h][2s]
Hero bets 25$
Villain calls

TURN: [5h][2s],[Ac]

HERO ???????

Assume you just sat down and have no read on villain.

Should I bet? I usually do. I figure the chances of him having AK or AT here are extremely slim after such a large bet on the flop. Or is it best to check even though he will have JJ/QQ the majority of the time.

I don't play NL much, but what happens if you bet and he raises? Depending on the read (tight, loose) a check may be in order, as he will probably fold jj/qq to a bet from you. If he bets I may checkraise him, but again I don't do NL much so take what I say with a grain of salt.I

bet more on the flop. there's $39 in the pot preflop, assuming no other limpers.

as it is, assuming he's not an idiot....there's one of two possibilities:

2. he has a poorly played QQ/JJ. this is most likely, in my opinion.

3. he's trapping you with AA/TT.

i think AK/AQ is almost an impossibility. the only semi-possible hand is [Qh]...and he'd probably push all in on the flop with that, unless he's REALLY passive.

i personally would ignore the ace on the turn, without a read. i would need to know that he's an ace-chasing idiot in order to let that ace slow me down. if he has TT, then he made a bad call preflop (unless the stacks are huge) and he can have my chips. most of the time i think he'll have QQ/JJ here. assuming normal stack sizes, he doesnt have enough $$$ left for me to fold. just push the rest of your stack in. his flop action proves he likes to call.

jon

how did it end?

I pushed all in on the turn for around 55$ and he called with AK.

Made a great way to ruin my night.

there's $90 in the pot and $50 left in his stack...why not push? also...a check when the Ace hits after the previous action is suspicious. it looks like his AA just setted and may kill his action the other 95% of the time when villain doesnt have an Ace.

jon

What do you mean "Why not push?". I think you need a REASON to push, not just a lack of reasons not too. Or do you just push as default when you don't know what to do?

I think pushing here is somewhat fishy, kind of like pushing with an overpair when the 3rd flush card hits. You're saying I'm scared of that A, please throw your hand away... You are only getting called by an A, I don't think QQ/JJ will call you there.

The A is a scare card for your opponent as well, if he doesn't have an A. Checking will give you valuable information in that spot. Not too many players are capable of bluffing without an A in that spot.

If you check and the villain pushes, you fold, imo. The way this was played -- especially the much less than full pot bet on the flop -- you could well have AK yourself. AA is also possible looking to trap KK/QQ/JJ. It would take balls of steel for an opponent to push here with QQ or JJ.

I like checking the turn a lot.

Yes he's a donkey to call the flop bet with AK, but part of being a good player is not giving the donkeys any more money than necessary.