I have about $100 in my stack and get
![The Ace of Spades [As]](https://pofex.com/images/smilies/As.gif)
![The King of Spades [Ks]](https://pofex.com/images/smilies/Ks.gif)
Pot is about $15. EP bets pot, MP folds. I decide that this is a good moment to raise him off the hand, so I raise the max. However, EP flat calls. Pot is now $135. I've observed EP play in bigger games (1/2 and 2/4) and he seemed to be a winning player there. So I'm kind of anxious. Does he think I'm overplaying an AAxx hand or bluffing? I haven't played many hands at the table and I haven't bluffed at all. Surely he wouldn't call if he believed that I had the nut flush.
So on the turn, which is a blank
![The Five of Diamonds [5d]](https://pofex.com/images/smilies/5d.gif)
- I still might have a littlebit of folding equity (if he sees that I'm willing to play for my stack he might believe I have the nut flush)
- I might be ahead to middle set and then I want the money in
- if the board does pair on the river and he has a flush he's probably not going to invest more, so I get full value
- if the board does not pair I avoid having to make a tricky decision on the river if he puts me all in.
Anyway, opponent instantly calls. River was of no help, and opponent takes it with the Q-high flush (he also had a set of dueces).
Any thoughts? I thought the flop was an ideal situation for a steal raise, but apparently it lacked credibility. Later I thought that my preflop raise might have led him to think I had AAxx and that I was overplaying that. After all, many players on this level go crazy with such a hand regardless of the board.
Pieter