i think you have to learn about pot control.
your eithe going to be way ahead in the hand or way behind.
all you have is a pair of aces and you are out of position, so you don't want to build the pot up.
i would have personally checked there,
thing is, in a flop like AT2(2), what hands are your opponentns likely to have?
Any Ace-x, besides AK (he would have raised), to AT and A2, you are already beat, the rest you are ahead.
other possibilities: Tx, other pair, or even KQ for a gutshot.
how many outs do these people have? with one card to come, any A-x below A-T is drawing to 3 outs to beat you, Tx is drawing to 2 outs, as hitting his other x card wouldn't beat your higher two pair. KQ or KJ is drawing to 3 outs for his straight.
on the other end of things, AT, A2, TT, AK,AQ has you beat already.
and you are drawing slim, to 2~3 outs.
there's only one out to come, so you are going to be either about 93% favourite, or behind.
what does this mean? there's no need to bet the pot,
if you bet the pot, the hands that are behind were going to fold anyway, but if your opponent had a hand that already beats you, you are pot commited to call.
checking wouldn't be a bad idea, as it would keep the pot small.
pot is 325, so if you check, your opponent will bet 150, the other opponent would probably fold so now you are heads up.
with 600 in the pot, you check, and if he's going to be aggressive or have a strong hand he's going to bet again, if he bets strong (ie 500ish or above) there's no need for you to call with a marginal hand, if he bets small, you can either call or fold, but if you do call (ie for 200~300 is bet), you won't be losing all of your chips.
alternatively, you could have bet 150 in to that pot, if you get called, river is likely going to go check-check, or check, he bets , you fold. that way you are only putting 150 in more to find out where you are, while also having the opportunity to win the pot with the bet. (if your opponent raises, it's an immediate fold)
remember that the bet of 150 will do exactly the same affect as the 325 pot bet. you are either way ahead or way behind, if you are way ahead, your half-pot bet isn't giving your opponent the odds to call anyway, and will save you money if you are beat already.
one thing you are missing out is if your bet turns out to be a value bet that an a-rag is going to call, however, i would choose to pot control rather than hope it's a value bet, especially because i am out of position  |