AK on the button…

[imcastleman]

A) It’s level 3 of a Party NL Hold ‘em Sit n Go and you have AK on the button with 800 chips left. Early position player who hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary with 1200 chips makes it 125 to go. What’s your play and why?

B) It’s level 3 of a Party NL Hold ‘em Sit n Go and you have AK on the button with 800 chips left. Early position player who hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary with 1200 chips makes it 250 to go. What’s your play and why?

C) It’s level 3 of a Party NL Hold ‘em Sit n Go and you have AK on the button with 800 chips left. Early position player who hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary with 1200 chips makes it 500 to go. What’s your play and why?

[BradleyT]

Are these $11 or $55 or $215? And what are the blinds at level 3? I haven't played at party in a while.

[Roman]

maybe im a little gung-ho with AK, but PUSH PUSH PUSH.

[Sam T.]

Assuming we've still got a pretty full table (I played a $10 over the weekend that was lost six players in the first twelve hands):

1) Push. Force him to make a major decision. You could be ahead, and in most cases you're a coin flip at worst, which is okay because of the folding equity you get from your push. If he flips AA or KK, tip your hat to him and move on.

2) Push. See above. Also, you can't call 1/4 of your stack and fold if you don't flop A or K. You need to see all five cards.

3) Fold. He's making a mistake by putting in almost half his stack, but it should give you a pretty good idea that he loves his hand. Unlike the above hands, there is virtually no folding equity. Unless he is the tightest, weakest player on the planet, he is going to call an all-in for an additonal t300.

[DarrenX]

Good questions...

1) Could be a leak, but I'd flat-call. You'll have position after the flop, and can muck if you miss. No way I'm folding, and I'd prefer to stick around to outplay than outcoin-flip.

2) Push- Don't want to play AK for 30% of my stack, and I'm not folding, so it's a push- still good fold-equity here...

3) Fold- once it's more than half your stack, you're basically calling with AK as opposed to pushing.

[Hood]

How would you out play here on the flop? If an A or K comes down, you get all in, for sure. But what A or K doesn't come, and PF raiser raises all-in? Do you call? I don't see how you can use superior poker play flop-onwards here.

That's why I'd;

1) Push
2) Push
3) Push (You have no fold-equity here by pushing, but I'd still expect to bit either a big fav (they've got an A or K), resonable fav (2 undercards), or at worst coin-flip to lower PP.

[DarrenX]

"How would you out play here on the flop?"

Meaning you still might be able to take it down if your opponent checks- a check-raise is an easy fold. As far as sticking around to outplay, I meant more for future hands in that tourney...