Do you dump AKo preflop ever?

Sorry if this has been discuss before.


Assume there's the 3 raises cap per betting round. It's fairly clear that if someone raises preflop, you should 3 bet with AKo.


But what if by the time it gets to you, someone raises, and someone else 3 bets, should you cap it or just call or fold?


Another scenario is by the time it gets to you, it's already cap, should you call and see the flop or should you fold?


Thanks for any suggestions.

Bill,


I think it is like most situations in poker - it really depends on the specifics of the situation.


Against most players, I agree, I would reraise pre-flop. However, just tonight, in a 15-30 gmae, a REALLY TIGHT player raised UTG - I showed AK to a friend who was watching and folded - he about had a heart attack. It was mucked all around and the UTG raiser flashed Aces and mucked. My friend, asuming he didnt out-flop the UTG raiser, would have gone off for quite a few bets if he had my hand as he cannot lay down a premium hand like that - and always gets tied on once he sees the flop. Against this particular opponent, who regularly folds AQ up front and limps with Jacks and Tens utg and raises only AA, KK, QQ, and AK, I felt my laydown was not a bad play at all. I am not saying he can never have another hand, but 99% of the time, I do NOT like my AK here at all.


So in my opinion, yes, it can be correct to fold AK pre-flop - even for one raise only - but it is definitely not the norm. I know some will say to never fold it, but I feel they are failing to adequately adjust to game conditions if they do not. In regards to calling 2 and three bets cold - again for me - it depends on the opponents.


Just some thoughts...


Michael D.

My default play is to fold AK for 3 bets.

How about AKs ?

I would fold that as well for 3 bets pre-flop.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm pretty sure that Sklansky and Malmuth recomend reraising or capping(or atleast calling) with AKs. I always will, though I agree that it can often be correct to muck AKo for three bets cold.


Mike

If the pot is going to be contested short-handed (and I actually assumed that in my answer), then the suitedness of your hand does not add much value to it.


I would fold AKs for 3 bets if I thought the pot was going to be contested 3 handed. If the pot were to be contested 10-handed, I would call with AKs. I don't know where the dividing line is.

Maybe if you're against "rock" and "superrock," AND the raises are early position, otherwise I'm playin' it. The suitedness of the hand may seem irrelevent in the context of the liklihood of your winning with a flush, but it's not when you consider that a backdoor flush draw(see Jim Brier's recent examples, of which you already know that I have some aprehension about) may enable you to win the pot in some other way.


I don't think that you can have too few players in this spot. If your opponents have something like QQ and JJ, you're good most of the one out of three times that you flop a pair, and even better if one of them will call you down.


(This is turning into stream of consciousness, as I'm pretty tired--don't say it /images/wink.gif ) Also, how 'bout when you flop a flush draw and make top pair or a gutshot straight that wins.....


Too many ways to win with this hand to muck it.


Mike

Interesting because I'm sure you would make it three bets with A,Ko.


Vince

depends on whos raising. if theyre very solid guys or rocks, i may fold AKo with 3 bets coming to me...if theyre looser raisers, im seeing the flop. also depends on what postition theyre raising. this can help a little.


however, somtimes i will call here to see if the original raiser caps, if he does, it can be easier to define his hand. if you cap, you may not see how they react to the raise. i would 3 bet though, but the information gained by watching them just 'call' is limited. though capping isnt a mistake per se, its just not the way id play it


AKs i agree with sunglass mike, its too good not to see the flop. its not like your going all in with it, and it does well both shorthanded and multiway. many ways to win with it. though if it were 2 absolute rocks or tightasses raising, then i might consider folding it.


b

BillM was a co-founding poster of these forums, but he no longer posts under that name. His present handle is "Bill Murphy", but he's currently serving a self-imposed ban, so he's not posting under that name either!


Maybe ya could use "Son of BillM" or something like that, so his many fans don't get confused... /images/smile.gif

Rock Alert!

how about a hand with anaylisis???