Plus, if he’s got like A4s, he might call off all his chips on this hand if you start betting now.

anyway,
HS

“Raising is fun and profitable.
Calling is scary and un-profitable.”
- Stephen, Poker Clan

Thanks,
Seed

If you raise more generally, then raising the flop here is the definite move in my opinion. Here is why.

Your opponents bet represents either a continuation bet or a bet for value. You know this. He knows that you know this. Therefore, a raise by you with any ace is not out of the ordinary. It should not be uncommon in your game to raise here with any ace to define your hand and figure out where you stand. You are announcing that you have an ace. You are not necessarily announcing that you have AQ, just an ace. Because this is how you play, your raise with top two is now disquised as a normal part of your game not an abnormal raise with an obvious monster. I don’t think your opponent will fold AK to this play. He may even stick with AJ. But a hand like JJ or even 55 will fold you your raise every time.

You want AK to stick, because AK may pay you more money if everything stays the same. He could draw out, but that’s OK because he will pay you more for the times that he doesnt draw out then he will take from you when he happens to catch.

You want 55 to fold because 55 won’t give you another red cent UNLESS he hits his miricle card on the turn. So, 55 may draw out and when he does you pay big time. But 55 won’t give you anything if he doesn’t hit. This is the hand you want gone and your strategy fits getting rid of him.

Really, the only hands that will stick to your raise are AX and a flopped set. Since you are beating every AX, you want them to stick around. A flopped set is very unlikely but a little scary. Since you have now limitted the hands you are playing against to these two groups, the hand becomes very easy to play the rest of the way down. You want to play it for very small pots down to the river. You want to keep your AX captives paying you and you are taking very little risk that they will beat you. Your only concern is if a king comes off. If it does remember that you have position and won’t necessarily have to put any more money in. If your opponent starts trying to make this pot a monster without a king coming off, then a flopped set becomes way more likely and you might (just might) be able to get away from your AQ.

So, my answer is raise more often in general and raise this flop for sure.

… just my take.

Good Luck
butch