So after a one month break from cash games and poker altogether save a few MTT's and some lurking from time to time, I'm easing my way back demoting myself to $25 NL for awhile (no one here really thought I was gone forever did you?? ) The situation below is basic, but comes up all the time. I don't have any reads on Villian.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP1 ($25)
MP2 ($24.80)
MP3 ($6.05)
CO ($9.36)
Button ($20.50)
SB ($27.35)
BB ($27.85)
UTG ($37.75)
Hero ($25.75)
UTG+2 ($28.80)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A, K. SB posts a blind of $0.10.
1 fold, Hero raises to $1.25, 5 folds, Button calls $1.25, 1 fold, BB calls $1.

Flop: ($3.85) 7, A, 5 (3 players)
BB bets $4...

Great chief, that was my job. Any meaningful raise or even a call comes close to pot comitting me. Hero??

Now let's change the read - later in the session I saw this guy making outrageous (and bad) bluffs for large amounts of money and losing. Now what?

Raises to 10/12$ lacking a read and folds to a push.

Alternate line: You can call and reavaluate the turn, if the flush comes does he checks to ya etc etc. These can be really tough spots.

If you think he's bad you might want to let him hang himself though this might not be the board you're looking for.

I think a call is ok here actually. You want to see what Button does, if he goes bananas here you can fold. I would guess BB has either a flush draw or a weaker Ace, if the turn is a blank your giving him a chance to "valuebet" his weaker ace.

If you decide to raise it you've got half your stack in so I can't see folding to a push since he could be drawing or have something like AQ, if he calls and the turn blanks I'm putting him in, if it's a club I am checking and/or folding.

Welcome back!

How bad would a min raise be on the flop? Instead of $10-$12 maybe just make it $8.

I think Im hooked on the free card play I just learned. Maybe your raise gets out button and remaining villian checks to us on the turn. Im not suggesting this line, Im just wondering how bad it would be.