AJ out of position Hand

[aquifex]

Hi All, here's a hand from todays session which I've been thinking about. Table has been quite tight and passive. Player on the button in this hand has just arrived and seems quite aggro, but has only playing for a few hands.

The game is $2/5 NL 6max, 6 people playing

I'm UTG with AJo and have $1,100 behind. I raise to $20 and all fold to the button ($550) who calls, as does the BB ($150).

Flop comes A J 5 (2 hearts)

BB checks, I lead for $50, Button calls, BB folds.

Turn brings 4, giving A J 5 4 (2 hearts, 2 diamonds)

I bet out again for $120 and the button raises all-in to about $450....

Whats your play? Does anyone lay this down?

Thanks for the advice
aquifex

[TheUnknownPlayer]

Quite honestly, this is why I don't play online. In a B&M this is where I'm going to illicit a tell or draw from his mannerisms and body language up till this point. I will have something more to go on to make this decision than the information you gave in your post (which incidentally was very clear - position, chip stacks, type of player etc). At a certain point though it's not enough and I want to be able to look at the guy.

[Mad Genius]

He has one of two hands. Either he has a set of Jacks or fives and you are crushed. Or he has some sort of a monster draw. Maybe he has KQ of hearts or diamonds, or 76 of hearts or diamonds. Or maybe Ax of hearts or diamonds. He probably puts you on AK, so from his point of view it makes more sense for him to be getting so aggressive here if he's on a good draw, although he could be pushing his set hard due to all the draws out. In the end, the pot is $732, and it's 330 for you to call. You are getting better than 2-1 on your call, so if you are right 1 in 3 times, the call is correct. Add in the fact that you almost certainly have 4 outs if you are behind, and I make this call.

[kennyg]

Tough. Tough laydown indeed. I would call...thinking along the same line Mad Genuis is. Though a big bluff is possible here as well, which gives you even more odds to call. He can figure you have AK and cannot call all-in that much more.

Anyway, unknown player makes a great point about online vs BM. Hands like this do make me wish I was playing in a real game.

[aquifex]

Thanks for your thoughts guys,

I actually folded the hand thinking the guy may have had a set of fives. Thinking back it was a clear call but at the time didn't want to gamble.

The other 4 players on the table were playing too weak-tight for 6 max (in my opinion) and were all sitting with less than $250. So I thought I could make money in easier spots in that game. Which I did, over the next hour I managed to bust a couple of the low stacks and finished with a healthy profit. In the meantime the all-in raiser was caught running some big bluffs, which makes me think I should have called with my AJ....

Oh well, sometimes I think it's right to fold a maginal hand like this in some games where there will be better situations in the future....

Any thoughts on this? I am reducing my variance, but am I also reducing my EV?

[kennyg]

[iceman5]

You said ts a clear call looking back now. I dont think its a clear call or clear fold.
Knowing nothing about the player, I would lean towards calling on a shorthanded game because people overplay hands shorthanded. I think I would be abut 50/50 in a full game. HE could be the one with AK.