I was playing a $1-$2 cash game at a local club last night, and this was a pretty interesting hand. After it was over, a lot of people asked how I could lay that down, and I should of called. I thought I was making a good fold, but hey, you learn through your mistakes right?

Anyways, here's the layout:

I'm sitting with about $220, bought in for $200. UTG straddles to 4$(he'd been doing it everytime because he disliked the guy in the big blind, who would be the villain in this hand). UTG+2 re-straddles to $8, so there's already $15 in the pot. Next person calls the $8, and it's to me and I have pocket Queen's. There's $23 in the pot now, and I raise it to $16. Most of this table is pretty tight, no real maniacs. It folds around to the big blind, and he calls. The two straddlers and person who limped in fold, leaving the pot at $55.

Flop:
Ace diamonds J diamonds 7 spades.

Villain is first to act, raises it to $25. After thinking a bit, I call.

Turn:
9 hearts

Villain checks, I check.

River: (pot is $105)
8 clubs

Villain raises to $50. After thinking a while, I fold. He flops over K-6 for the bluff.

I came VERY close to calling, but I ended up talking myself out of it... I had to put him on a hand, because he hasn't show a single bluff yet, and he has folded his big blind and straddle(which he did every turn) everytime some one raised it. That Ace on the flop was really scary for me, but I should of seen the check on the turn as a sign of weakness.

But with an Ace showing, and 1 card to a straight, I just didn't think i could call.

The mistakes I think I made were not raising enough preflop, and I should of re-raised the flop to see if he really had that Ace or not. He checks the turn, I should of bet.

Anything else I should of done differently?

I have never played with a straddle, so keep that in mind, I don t really know what I am talking about.
I probably would have raised a lot more preflop, to where they are not getting the odds to call with weaker drawing hands. I may have raised to $40-45 just to cut down the number of people to the flop, QQ generally does not play well in multiway pots. If I still got a caller, I would have C-bet that flop, and then shut down if I was called, check folding to the river hoping to see a cheap showdown. Tough hand though. As played, I probably would have folded to the flop bet as it is too likely that they called you with A-x (I wouldnt be surprised if someone else that folded to the flop bet had A-(7-10).

A straddle is doubling the blind before looking at your cards. You then become the BB as play progresses.

You definately should have raised more PF... you only raised 1 BB (since the BB is now $8)... I likely would have also folded the flop as JJ or QQ never works out for me when on over card hits the flop.

Depening on any read you had on him, if I made it to the river the same way you guys did, I may have called. He only bet 1/2 pot on flop, then again, 1/2 pot on river... pretty weak raises. However, some people do that just hoping their not pushing you out when they have a monster. There are people I play with that it would of been an insta-call, and others an insta-fold.

good minraise

As it's been a while since I played a live game that allowed starddles, can someone remind me of the post-flop betting. Is it still the original SB that bets first.

he checks the turn i insta bet, even with the ace on board..then he bets 50 into a 150 pot on the river not exactly screaming i have a hand if you know what i mean, i might make a raise here if i feel a good read on my opponent. you beat his jacks, only thing you lose to is a 10 or 2 pair...with my read and thinking about how the hand just went down i dont think i lay this down, let alone take control after the flop..

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Well, I realised what I did wrong and what i'll do differently next time.

Next time, raise a lot more preflop, maybe make $32 or $40. Flop, I don't mind calling here, that or re-raising to see if he's just trying to take a stab at the pot. Turn, his check should of turned on the insta-bet switch in my head.

Thanks