$2/$4 NL

Im in the BB with A4. 2 limpers and its 3 to the flop.

Pot is $14. Flop comes 532 with 2 diamonds. I bet $10 and they both call. The first guy is pretty good overall. He also likes to limp with big pairs from any position. Ive seen himopen limp from MP twice with QQ. This time hes UTG+2. The other guy I have no info on.

Pot is $44. The turn is another 5. I bet $30. UTG+2 raises to $90. The last hand where he had limped with QQ, he min raised the 876 flop. When he called the flop and then raised fairly big, I was afraid of the boat of course since alot of people play sets that way.

The other guy folded. We both have about $350 or so left.

Whats your play?

I think there are 3 things I would reasonably put him on:

1. He has A4 as well
2. He has A5
3. He has a full house

I guess I would wonder why the boat raises here. He's got you betting, there is both a possible straight and a possible flush. I am thinking a good player with the boat smooth calls here. The raise makes me think much more about A5 or A4. Not sure whether I am a buy-in sure of my read though...

He most likely has A5. He probably doesn't play 53/52, and he raises with a set on the flop. I smooth-call with the intention of leading any card that doesn't pair the board for about 1/2 pot.

You would expect him to raise with a big pair on the flop because of the flush potential (which he has to acknowledge because there were no preflop raises). It seems silly to me to raise with the boat here as well, (other than you probably won't bet the river after he smooth calls twice, so about the only thing he is going to get called when he bets is a small value bet). If he is a decent player I don't see why you guys think he'd limp with A-5 or A-4 in UTG+2. Also, his raise wasn't very big, and you only have to call $60 into a $164 pot. This seems more like a milking bet than a protecting bet. .I don't know what I'd do in your spot (although I can say that I'd have a hard time getting away from this hand and I'd be more likely to see the hand through to the end), these are just some things I thought about while considering this hand.

If I was to see the hand through to the end I think I'd call his turn bet and then check-call on the river--I think coming over the top here is going to be the wrong play the majority of the time.

I just looked back at the hand. There was 4 to the flop so the pot was 4 way.

The pot was $20 and I bet $14 and got 2 callers
At the turn, the pot was $62 and I bet $40...he raised to $120. If I call, the pot will be $300. Theres a good chance hes going all in at the river.

I still don't think this guy shares the straight with you. I don't really see how he has a 5 unless it is 5-5. He didn't raise the flop so that reduces the chances that he has an overpair to the board because it isn't consistent with his earlier play. While his raise is monetarily bigger it is still the same proportion to your bet size and is still giving you the same odds to continue on in the hand.

I really think you could be right about him having the set here (that improved to a full boat on the turn) because it makes the most sense out of all the ranges of hands he could hold. Why raise when he has a boat though? That is the only thing that bugs me. Maybe he is trying to be deceptive. Call or raise and all the money is likely going in so your options are pretty clearly push or fold. Folding really seems like the correct call there, but you are right, it does hurt.

Call the turn and check-call a reasonable bet on the river. Fold to an all-in on the river. You're the BB so you could well have 53 or 52. If he's a good player, he should not be willing to go all-in without a boat himself.

What happened?

I folded. I dont know what he had, but I would push all in if I had it to do over again.

I havent been playing my A game lately.

I think if he played a boat that way he is not that good a player. My money is on A4... which means you are playing for a split and paying off the rake gods. Maybe 46s? Would this guy play that? That is the only one to fear. He just is not playing this like a boat or quads.

Not everyone the raises flop with a set (even with a flush draw avail). I would say less than 50% of people raise. At the time, I thought he had the boat which is why I folded, but after thinking about it more, and watching him play more. Im pretty sure he had A5.