An indirect trap

Sometimes you can play a hand very well and still lose because your opponent also played it well. In this hand, I played my hand well and got trapped by a player who did not play his hand well in my opinion and actually ended up folding. Let me explain.

I was in my regular $1/$2 no limit hold 'em game. I picked up 8-8 in early position and made my standard opening raise to $10. I was called by one player in middle position and then another player two seats off of him. The cut off, button and blinds all folded. The flop came 5-6-8. I just flopped top set and am loving my hand. I led out and bet $20 into a $33 pot. My first caller raises me to $50 and then his raise gets called by the second player. Now seemed like as good of a time as any to put the squeeze play on. I put the second player on a pair of jacks. I just wanted the initial raiser out as I had him on some kind of draw. I raised all in to about $250. The first player called another $100 or so to put himself all in. Then the third player went into the tank for a real long time. At that point, I guessed that he might have flopped a set of fives or sixes. He finally folded A-A face up. Of course, I ran into the nuts as the first raiser turned over the 7-9. The board did not pair and I lost a big pot.

While I can't blame the player for raising me with the flopped nuts, I don't like the way the other player played his A-A. I rarely raise from early position without a strong hand, so he knew that I had something strong. After the call from the 7-9, I think you have to reraise with A-A to get the pot heads up. By just smooth calling, the button or blinds could be justified in seeing a flop with just about any two live cards. I think if he would have raised, to somewhere around $30, I would have called and the 7-9 would most likely fold. If the Aces raise to around $50, I probably fold along with the 7-9. I don't mind the way the player with the 7-9 played his hand. He knew his hand was live and if he hit a big flop he could double up. That was exactly what happened. He can thank the player with the A-A for that.