Over and over I'm getting the theme that you want to know "what" to do to be a winning player, but you shy away from "why" it's done. You'll probably need to be vigilant to ask deeper questions about poker for a while if you want to get out of this rut.

Poker is a thinking game which requires diligent study to excel at. You seem to put in the study time, but your focus is off. Always be asking why something is recommended and not just what is recommended.

I hope your friend was joking about slapping you, but he's right that if your reason for doing something is that you were told (and nothing more), then that's not an intelligent, grown-up reason to do anything.


Anyway, your friend who said the AK called you because you were broadcasting your range is prob. not right, based on that hand. Like, was that villain EVER folding AK? PRE? OTF? no. He had AK and if there is any evidence he even noticed your range PRE it was that he didn't 3-bet you. Once the flop falls and you hit TPTK and he has top 2 pair, you're going to lose some money. It happens. It's not necessarily indicative that Villain put you on your hand.

Even still, AQo should be near the bottom of your UTG range (I fold AQ UTG if it's 9-handed; AQo is weak when you're that OOP PRE). You shouldn't be playing a wide range UTG, and that alone is broadcasting your range, this is partially why you are motivated to open raise to more than your standard amount. It's already obvious that you are on a strong range by your position, so the increased bet size gives nothing away.