Flopping two pair heads-up, and V calls big check-raise.
2/3/5 NL
Effect stacks $800.
Villain is a 20's Asian guy, young-looking and also has a demeanor that suggests his cardroom experience is limited. He is only 2 or 3 orbits into this game, but seems comfortable with actual game play. He is not limping, is open raising.
H's table image is probably tight aggressive, V has seen H 3-bet-squeeze pre-flop twice, once from the BB, and once as an utg limp-reraise. In the 1st hand all 4 opponents folded to the 3-bet, and in the 2nd hand 3 folds were induced.
V opens $20 on the button.
H in BB calls with QhJc.
($36) Qd Js 7h
H checks.
V bets $20.
H raises $120. (H realizes as the chips go out that he wanted to go smaller.)
V calls.
($276) Kc
H checks.
V bets $100.
H calls.
($476) Qd Js 7h Kd 4c
H checks.
V bets $300.
H???
What should the flop check-raise amount have been... $80-$100?
QJo is a call from the BB preflop, right?
Yes, I think this is a non-standard villain, with him ~value~ betting AA on the river.
The small turn bet was a tell on the strength of his hand, like he was testing the waters.
I'd want to ask him if he thought he was betting for value or turning his hand into a bluff.
I wouldn't always think the small turn bet is a sizing tell that means he's weak. Some guys will bet smaller to milk opponents when they have thick value. I was putting him on KQ, betting a little small because he's worried you might have a set, or maybe even T9, though that's a bit MUBSy.
I think you made this a little harder on yourself when you check-raise flop and then check the turn. Even though the the K is a bad turn card, I think we still need to bet, for a small size, and fold if he raises.
Did you consider block-betting the river? I don't know if it makes sense to do here. I wonder what he'd have done if you led out for $200.
Good on you for finding a call when it seems like the rest of us would have folded. Glad it worked out for you.
