Dealing with aggressive player - advice needed

Last night I had one of those sessions where you can't get a winning hand, even when you hit. Still I think I played quite well and made more good folds then I have ever done before. After three hours of play I had layed down JJ four times (A or K on table), AA twice (KK on flop both times), trips twice to flushes (once a flush flop), two straights to a flush and a straight to a obvious top end straight. Also I had several very good draws that didn't hit, forcing me to fold to big bets on the river.

So to my hand and player in question:
0.25/0.5$ NL 10 players.

Read on player X:
1) Very aggressive, might well reraise all in in difficult situations. Big variation in bet size, but no obvious pattern to what he holds. Sees >50% flop. Will raise many hands preflop, also AXs.
2) Seems to have decided he can push me around after taking two AK pots from me that I had to fold on the turn. Will therefor call my 4-6 BB preflop raises.
3) Folded when I raised him all in after hitting my flush, so not a total maniac.
4) 3 recent showdowns on his aggressive style had shown pocet AA, a nut straight and a nut flush, but also KT bluffing hard with A on table loosing a big pot.
5) Conclucion: dangerous, but sees way too much flop and takes chances at high risk sometimes.
Hand in question:
Dealt to Borax (77)
X raise to 1$
Borax and three other callers
FLOP (K87)
X bet 2$
three folds
Borax raise to 15$
X calls
TURN (2)
X check
Borax bet 5$
X call
FLOP (Q)
X is all in for 45$
Borax folds

Questions
1) Should I have pushed all in on the flop? I think so myself.
2) My bet on the turn was a feel bet and I am pretty sure he just smooth called it having hit his flush, but of course I can't know for sure. Should I have bet more on the turn?
3) With four clubs on the table I would fold again in this situation. Anyone disagree - and if so - why?
4) How should I deal with this player in the future?

Bet big on the turn, you can't give a cheap 4rth club. If he has the flush, oh well you have outs.

The key with these guys is to gamble it up and have the roll to back it up. Bruson talks about having protection from being played back at because if he has just about anything he'll re-raise back at them for all thier chips. Tighten up and play back at them. Some of these guys don't like to fold with any piece of the board, so over-betting works wonders against them.

I tend to avoid river problems like this by settling things on the flop in small pots or getting my money in really fast in big pots.

See Also:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...pic.php?t=9064

Thanks for comments.
I think I am holding too much back against these players and should - like you say - avoid the river problem by pushing on the flop or turn.
I tend to think that "no one in their right mind would bet that much with only middle pair or a weak kicker - he must hold a set or two pair," when I get raised with AK on a Kxx flop. Maybe I should be a bit braver and push more.

I have the bank roll, but I can't hit back with more then max buy in until I build a larger stack at the table. With this guy I kept refilling to max stack to hit him hard when possible, but never got the cards for it after my 777 hand. I must admit that his showdowns with really strong hands, taking others stacks, made me avoid taking him on. I tightened up to 21% flop and waited. One problem was that he would ruin my games against others. I couldn't get as many preflop/flop small pots as usual due to his aggressive play. Anyway, I'll be better prepared next time

Actually, that's the second time I've done that to someone with TPTK. Had a similar hand playing the Mandalay Bay game where someone tried playing back at me with a flush draw when I bet the flop big with TPTK after a PFR. He was really upset when I pushed back, thought a bit and then figured he was pot-struck.

Don't be unless you have a reason for betting and betting a specific amount.

What was your reason for the turn bet?

-'rilla

Originally Posted by a500lbgorilla

What was your reason for the turn bet?

"I'm afraid you hit your flush, please don't play back at me sir! I want to show my hand down cheap"

I think Fnord sums up my reasons for the turn bet pretty well.

I was 90% sure he hit his flush after seeing him play others at the table with Axs. If he didn't have it and I wanted him to fold here I would have to go all in or he would have raised me. So I decided to chicken out and maybe get a cheap card myself. If he didn't have the flush I would have 10 outs for the river card and there was 8 outs for another club. Playing this hand and this player again I would push all in on the flop.

Originally Posted by Borax

I think Fnord sums up my reasons for the turn bet pretty well.

I was 90% sure he hit his flush after seeing him play others at the table with Axs. If he didn't have it and I wanted him to fold here I would have to go all in or he would have raised me. So I decided to chicken out and maybe get a cheap card myself. If he didn't have the flush I would have 10 outs for the river card and there was 8 outs for another club. Playing this hand and this player again I would push all in on the flop.

Hands are better defined preflop. Does he raise with Axs?

You're very safe on the turn.

-'rilla

Yep he would raise Axs.