$1-3 NL – Classic AK vs. QQ (Young Aggressive vs. OMC)

I thought this hand was cool. Not really eventful, but I wanted to share my thoughts and decision I made, and what I learned about aggression.

Villain in this hand is a super-tight OMC

Hero stack: 480
Hero hand: AKo
Hero position: MP

Villain stack: 400
Villain hand: QQ
Villain position: UTG

Preflop:
Villain opens to 20, hero raies to 45, villain calls

Pot: 90
Villain check, hero bets 50, villain shoves, hero folds

Villain was a super-tight OMC and opened fairly large from UTG. Looking back on this hand, I think I had a lot of reverse implied odds here. Against this player type, this opening position, and the open size, I’m not sure if my play was +EV. I should’ve folded giving it some more thought.

He calls the raise, so he has a made hand. I have a drawing hand, that could’ve been been against his range. He checks and I take a stab. He shoves. I already know I’m folding, but I take a moment to think about the action.

“He’s an OMC, that opened fairly large for the game from early position. He calls my reraise, so he can see a flop. The flop looks safe for him. He checks it to me, and then overbets the pot making a “protection” bet. My half-pot size bet may have looked weak to him or induced his overbet. I’m making note of this. He’s lucky I don’t have aces or kings here, or else he made a huge mistake.”

I release my hand and he was nice enough to flash the queens. I don’t know if he was proud of his play, but I smiled and said “nice hand”

I think I learned a bit more about the value of aggression. “If my aggression is met with aggression, I’m never good unless I have the effective nuts.” At least that’s what I came up with.

Against, weak-tight players, I’m never good when faced with their aggression.

Against good-players, aggression would ensure you maintain the betting lead, and keep your opponent guessing.

Against loose-aggressive players, aggression may not be the best strategy against them or else they’ll get off the hook too easily.

This may seem really general, but think it helps my game a little. I’m afraid it may be too much of a spew as well. Please let me know your thoughts.