Early in micro STT. I know the PF limp was a bit on the weak side but I'm trying to keep pots small and avoid getting over-involved in the early stages.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB (t2020)
UTG (t1520)
UTG+1 (t1305)
MP1 (t2170)
MP2 (t1375)
Hero (t1435)
CO (t1040)
Button (t1405)
SB (t1230)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A, Q.
UTG calls t30, 3 folds, Hero calls t30, CO calls t30, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t150) 6, A, 9 (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets t90, UTG calls t90, Hero raises to t270, CO folds, SB folds, BB calls t180, UTG calls t180.

Turn: (t960) 4 (3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets t420, BB calls t420, UTG calls t420.

River: (t2220) 9 (3 players)
BB checks, UTG bets t800 (All-In), Hero ???

I can't possibly be good here, can I? Could I have played this one better?

I think you need to bet more on the turn. Other than that he most likely has nothing or a 9 or made a backdoor flush.

Fold. I can't see him doing this with a worse hand than yours.

By the way limping AQ is crap there. You will mostly get more than just 2 or 3 guys (at least at those limits) pf and you'll end up protecting your made hands against draws whichs bloat the pot anyways, so limit the field pf (i mean you probably have a great hand against their ranges).

To put it a little differently, in case Travis wasn't clear, by raising PF you are actually more likely to keep the pot small. By raising there is a good chance that youre going to buy the button, and as the PF aggressor in position you control the pot size.

As played, if your intention is to keep the pot small, why do you raise the flop? Theres very little chance that you can fold out a flush draw or a hand better than yours with anything less than a push, so again, youre bloating the pot. The turn bet is too big. Youve turned your hand face up at this point (most players will not read you for a semi-bluff firing another bullet, theyll see it as a big A protecting). Youre WA/WB or can charge draws with a much smaller bet. I guess you arent beating much on the river but you are getting nearly 3:1, a scare card has fallen that might induce a bluff, and half your stack is in the pot. Its close, but I probably fold, confident in my short stack play.

Yeah, you're right. Typically I'd raise this PF but I think I've become a bit trigger shy during my recent slump. The whole mess just follows from not raising PF.

Dude, you know raising AQs for value preflop is 100% correct. Try and actively look for things you could be doing wrong rather than deviating from the things you know are correct.

Also, your bet sizing is really awkward. You raise too little on the flop, lay them awesome odds, then bet the turn large enough to commit yourself but leave a difficult amount behind. Then you want to fold the river when you're getting 4:1. I mean no disrespect but the hand from start to finish is the definition of tight-weak.

I think you should just raise the flop harder (like to 400) so you can shove the turn.

Lol I love your sig

Best sig ever? quite possibly.

I honestly thought the flop raise was big enough to scare at least one of them off - I was truly shocked when they both called. But you're right, now that I look at it I was laying them irresistible odds.

Optimal flop raise is more like 450-500, I think...

insta fold

insta fold