Live NLHE Situation - What do you do?

[AcesUp]

Live NLHE
150 entries, down to about 45 players
Pays top 18 spots

Average stack around t3500
UTG has t1900 in chips
I (middle position) have t2500 in chips

UTG has been getting strong cards most of the night (QQ about 4 times) and has also overplayed some big cards after the flop (got in cheap but couldn't get away from the hand). Haven't seen him get too out-of-line pre-flop other than some bad limps.

Here's the hand:

Blinds 200/400.

UTG raises to t1200 (leaving him with t700). Folded to me in middle-position, and I have AKo.

I put him on either AQ, AJ, or a pocket pair between 99 and KK. I figured him more likely to have a pair than a big ace.

What's the right play here?

I called, and when the flop came rags, he bet his remaining t700. I called, didn't pair, and his QQ took down the hand, leaving me with t600.

I know that calling after the flop was incorrect. I didn't have the pot odds, so if I wanted to see all 5 cards, I should have come over-the-top pre-flop. Or, if I didn't want to risk all my chips, I should have folded on the flop.

But, what about pre-flop? Is this a bad call at this point in the tournament?

What would you have done?


-Aces

[AcesUp]

Nobody has any help for me? /images/graemlins/frown.gif


-Aces

[betgo]

I reraise allin with AK. What is the purpose of flat calling?

[MLG]

with only 6x this is a clear clear clear all-in. unless you are one player away from the bubble you should be happy to take a coinflip situation here with the overlay from the blinds. Plus, sometimes you'll get lucky and he'll have A-J.

[MisterKing]

Indeed... as long as you're very confident he doesn't have AA or KK, you're 46% or so at worst. Since the blinds are (presumably) about to eviscerate your below-average stack, and you probably will not see a hand as strong as AKo again anytime soon, this is a clear push. Flat-calling invites a few problems, including:

1.) Other callers in later position. AKo loses value as you draw more opponents in, and plays very well in a heads up situation, where again you're expecting a coinflip or better. If you let some draws in (JTs, etc.), you'll often regret it, particularly if stacks to your left are deep & can afford a looser call in this situation.

2.) A chance for the original raiser to get away from his hand at the flop if you do hit an ace or king ahead of his smaller PP. If he has committed a large % of his stack to a PF raise, make him go all the way and put him to a decision. Your call makes you pot-committed anyhow, so why not shift some of the decision making across to your opponent while you're at it.

3.) The perception that you can be run over. If you flat-call your AK here, and other players notice it, they may be invited to think that you're not playing aggressive poker pre-flop, and that they can get you to lay down decent hands when they're on a steal.