PokerCoaching Quiz: Top Pair Facing Lots Of Aggression

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Key Concept: Top Pair Facing Lots Of Aggression

You are eight-handed in the WSOP main event with a 100,000 stack at 200-400. It folds to you in the lojack with A Q. You raise to 1,000 and it folds around to a loose, splashy player on the button who three-bets to 3,400. A tight, aggressive player in the small blind cold calls and it folds to you.

Question 1: Should you fold, call, four-bet to 11,000, or go all-in?

Answer: The worst thing you could do is four-bet into two opponents who have shown lots of strength. You have a chance to put 2,400 chips into a pot that will be 11,000 closing the action, which is an excellent situation with A Q. That being said, while calling is definitely the right move, you should be cautious if you hit top pair on the flop.

You call, the flop comes A J 4, and the small blind checks. 

Question 2: Should you check, bet 4,000, bet 8,000, or bet 12,000?

Answer: Even though this is a fine flop for you, you should almost never lead into the preflop three-bettor. The button can be holding A-A, A-J, or A-K, and you still have to worry about the small blind in this multi-way pot. If your check is followed by a bet and a call or a bet and a raise, it is wise to fold your top pair. 

You check, the button bets 6,000, and the small blind folds.

Question 3: Should you fold, call, raise to 15,000, or raise to 25,000?

Answer: While not a premium hand, your A Q is certainly good enough to bluff catch when a splashy player bets. Raising would charge your opponent when they hold two spades, but flush draws should make up a small portion of their range. Calling forces your splashy opponent to stay in the pot with their entire range, which is what you want with your bluff catchers because if you raise, they will fold all or most of their junk that you crush. 

You call and the turn is the 3. You check and the button bets 12,000.

Question 4: Should you fold, call, raise to 28,000, or go all-in?

Answer: By making a reasonably large bet size on the turn, your opponent is showing a reason for you to be concerned. While they are representing a strong polarized range, you cannot fold to an overly aggressive opponent on a safe turn. Acknowledging the splashy nature of your opponent, they could be betting with a wide variety of hands that your A Q crushes. 

You make the call. The river is the J and it checks through. Your opponent reveals A 5, awarding you a nice pot.

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