$1.10 MTT on Stars...Table had been unusually tight with certain exceptions, but still not a whole lot of AIs or agressive players.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) converter

MP2 (t2050)
Hero (t4225)
CO (t3383)
Button (t1705)
SB (t1005)
BB (t1950)
UTG (t1940)
UTG+1 (t1245)
MP1 (t3265)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with , .
3 folds, MP2 calls t50, Hero raises to t200, 4 folds, MP2 calls t150.

MP2 had been semi-loose. I figured he would have limped and called this raise with Axs or maybe a small pair...

Flop: (t475) , , (2 players)
MP2 bets t250, Hero raises to t725, MP2 calls t475.

I felt that his bet was a probe bet and he probably had a FD. Since the A was part of the draw, I was reasonably sure he didn't have 2 pair. I felt a pot sized raise (after his bet) would show him that I had a hand and take the pot odds away from him making his call a serious mistake...


Turn: (t1925) (2 players)
MP2 checks, Hero bets t800, MP2 raises to t1125, Hero calls t325.

Since he called my decent raise on the flop, but checked the turn, I was comfortable I was a head, I figured a bet of 800 would force him AI, but also show him that he still had enough chips left to fold the hand...

River: (t4175) (2 players)

Not much to say here...

Final Pot: t4175

Results in white below:
MP2 has Ad 5h (one pair, aces).
Hero has Ac Jh (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins t4175.

Should I have put him on a more powerful hand and played a little more cautiously? I had been playing some decent poker and that's why my stack was as big as it was...I was looking to increase it even more...was I reaching and telling myself what I wanted to hear?

No, I think you played it right. The flop is the key to this hand. He came out betting 1/2 the pot indicating that he wanted to end the hand right now. If he was trying to trap you with a big hand he would not make a bet with an A on the board that was going to scare off any smaller pair. Right there I put him on pairing the board. When you reraise, hes incorrectly putting you on a FD.

If he had something that beat you on the turn he would have come out betting since his stack was short. He would need to buy leverage and hope for a chance to get all his chips in. When you raise him he donks.

I love how you played this. More importantly, you have to remember who at the table saw you play TPGK this way so you switch it up the next time you're in that situation against a witness.