AKo, baby pair on the flop.

[Sam T.]

Another of the (potentially) painful AK hands:

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

SB (t1440)
BB (t1510)
UTG (t60)
Hero (t710)
MP1 (t1315)
MP2 (t1015)
MP3 (t160)
CO (t350)
Button (t1440)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="CC3333">UTG raises to t60 (All-In)</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t150</font>, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls t150, <font color="666666">4 folds</font>, BB calls t100,

Flop: (t535) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(4 players, 1 all-in)</font>
BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t560 (All-In)</font>,

At this point, it seemed likely that I was ahead, and I wanted to make anyone on a draw or with overcards pay through the nose.

Good idea, or bad?

[Dominic]

I like the play heads up, but not against three other players...any of which could have a mid-pair like 88...I think you're asking to get hammered if you keep playing AK like this against multiple players when you miss the flop. All you've got are 2 overcards...when you miss the flop with AK they just become high conectors, in my opinion.

Heads-up, it's a different story...you very well could have the best hand

[ChessMan]

I agree. If you want to cut off draws, a pot sized bet would be good. If you have a caller and a scary card falls that sucks. Otherwise you have to wonder, what does he have? A set?

Against good players, a caller to a pot-sized bet is suspicious. Good chance for a set there. I'd maybe bet a little on the turn and river and hopefully he just calls the whole way.

If he has a set, I'm sure a good player would slow play until the river, and then raise all-in.

That would be a bad situation because he could actually be bluffing, but that seems like a suicidal long term plan to bluff when someone has a strong hand.

[Jason Strasser]

Sam,

I'm glad you realized that your only bet here would be to all-in. In fact, your only 2 good choices are to go all-in, and to check/fold.

I personally think I like check/fold better, because you have a very workable stack, and the two players behind you WILL call with any pair. You are not going to get them to lay down 77, or even 22.

If you were in position, and it was checked to you, I like the play a lot more.

That aside, I don't think your move is awful, but I think a little too careless. I fold this ace high and move on. You are not going to get called by a hand you beat, unless there are some real morons at your table.

[Sam T.]

[ QUOTE ]
I personally think I like check/fold better, because you have a very workable stack, and the two players behind you WILL call with any pair. You are not going to get them to lay down 77, or even 22.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jason,

Were you at this table? I was indeed called down by 22 (which seems like a pretty bad idea to me - slight favorite to my AK/big dog if I had TT, etc.). Caught an ace on the turn, took second in the tournament...

Thanks for the help. Just trying different plays and seeing how they work out. This one did, but I don't think I'll make it a habit...

[ddubois]

Jesus, what are these people thinking? Why in the world would anyone call with 22?

[PrayingMantis]

If you know that your opponents are ready to call you down with some very marginal hands (this is the case many times in low buy-ins), then your post flop play is very problematic. It is "over-playing" your AK. Many players bust this way against people, who are simply not afraid of going in. You have to be carefull when playing against them, ESPECIALLY when the hand is not HU.

[ QUOTE ]
and I wanted to make anyone on a draw or with overcards pay through the nose.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is not a real drawing flop. It's rainbow, and it's rags, and it's paired. It's good that you're trying to take down the pot, but in this case you don't achieve much, IMO. You usually won't get called here by draws that are behind you. Actually, you are the one who's on the draw.

Playing a missed AK against 3 players (2 live) is tricky. I would prefer checking in your place, especially since your position is not ideal either.

[schwza]

ugh. the reason i check-fold this one is that even if everybody folds, you might not get the whole pot cause of the all-in guy.

[patrick dicaprio]

i think this is a common error, in that players confuse what would be a good play heads up for a good play with multiple players. i would check/fold here. usually with small blinds i would also limp preflop here, since you will usually be called. i tend not to raise with AKo unless i know there is a good chance I can get it heads up.

Pat

[mikey checks]

[ QUOTE ]
Jesus, what are these people thinking? Why in the world would anyone call with 22?

[/ QUOTE ]

i would raise w/ it...

[stupidsucker]

Sam, Its exacly what I would have done too.

I will have to consider the check/fold method more often perhaps. If I had 22 I would have folded to the All in.. Is that too weak? I would expect to be up against a bigger pair. I wouldt have called the raise preflop with 22 either. Are my thoughts incorrect?

Edit: If I were the BB with 22 I would call, not MP2

[ChessMan]

When I replied earlier I must have been very sleepy because I thought you had paired one of your cards. Here you had nothing but overcards. Too risky for the reward IMO.