I was playing in a local house game that goes on once every month or so. Buy-in is typically $100, action is 8-to-10 handed most of the time.

I was playing pretty well and running pretty solid as well, and in a couple of hours I was chip-leading after I stacked off a donk who tried to make a crazy check-raise all-in on the turn with nut-flush draw when I had flopped top and bottom pair.

I was sitting at about $450 when the following hand came up -

We were five-handed and a guy with about $230 opens it up for $4 on top under the gun (blinds are $.50 & $1.00). I pump-it up to $15 in the small blind after looking down at Ace's and he insta-calls.

Flop comes A[c] 10[d] 9[d]

I decide to slightly under-bet and feel my way out - we're playing short-handed and I flop the nuts on a somewhat dangerous flop. This was probably the mistake I made that got me in trouble.

I bet $15 into a pot of $30 and he insta-called again.

Turn comes a J

I lead for $40 into a pot of $60 because I really didn't like the turn. I thought it was reasonable he had a hand like KQ of diamonds and had decided to just call since he had such a big draw.

He went all in almost immediatly for $160 on top. The pot was $140 so I wasn't even getting laid 2-to-1. In hindsight, if I had bet $30 on the flop and he had made a looser call and hit it on the turn, I would have lead for $60-$75 and priced myself in more accordingly at better than 3-to-1.

I considered his hand range making that play that I thought was reasonable - he was playing somewhat looser because he had been running bad and got caught on a huge bluff earlier before he re-bought. I also took into account that he had no idea I had Aces from the way I played it.

Hands I thought he could feasibly have - KQ of diamonds, 78 of diamonds, AJ anything (unlikely cause it would be case Ace but it happened later in the night AA vs. AJ flopped an Ace and got paid off, so I guess it just goes to show you sometimes), and Sets 99, 10,10, JJ. Afterall, if he flopped a set and put me on AK-AQ, or a flush draw, he could just call and try to get me all in on the turn. Believe it, I've seen much goofier fucking plays fromt this guy.

So I go in the tank for a little and countdown my chips, and I still got like $220 behind. I make a call with that gut feeling of knowing that it's a lay-down you probably should be making.

He turns over 78 of hearts and it rivers an offsuit 6. He scoops.

In retrospect, I feel like I could have gotten off the hand - I only had $70 invested, I knew it was a bad turn, and the range of hands he would be making that play with were like 50/50.

I think I should have bet more on the flop to protect - if he had actually flopped 99 or 1010, he would definitely re-raise huge there anyways even if I over-bet. Likewise, I would let him catch a flush with a hand like QJ of diamonds or KJ of diamonds which a donk like him would definitely call with for $10 more even when he's been playing and running bad. I also took into the account he was not playing great since he was in the hole and was playing looser (perhaps then I could have put him on 78)

Any thoughts on how I played it/should have played it?

Just so everyone knows Devbert aslo responds to Donkey and Jackass (he is a friend of mine and we play in the same homegame).

A set of Aces is a crappy hand to play sometimes, you really cripple the board and rarely getting action hands that you have beat and only get action from hands that outdraw you flush's and straights. Your only real mistake in this hand is underbetting the flop. With top set you have to figure the only hands that are going to pay you off are smaller sets and sometimes bottom 2 pair, either way the they have a strong enough hand that the majoruty of the money is going to go in on the flop. Both hands are going to be protecting against the same draws that you are protecting against. Bet the full pot, make it look like you have AK instead of AA. After the turn you are stuck, villian only has KQ if its and I dont see Teddy calling $15 preflop with KQ, when he is not on tilt. So really the only hand that you can be really afraid of is 78 which I do think Teddy calls your rereaise with hoping to snap you. Either way he could have a set of 10's 9's even A10, so I think you are ahead more often then you are behind. If he has a straight so be it you still are going to outdraw him 20% of the time.