AK TPTK early on

[spacemonkey57]

First of all I played this like a wuss preflop. I have no excuse for this. If I had three bet preflop like I should have I might call MP1's all in, and start a new one if he's got AA. Of course, if I had 3-bet preflop like I should have I would probably know if he had AA, right? However, that minibet from the BB is a little scary, since I'm sure he doesn't think he's picking up the pot with that bet. All comments and recommendations to take off my skirt preflop are appreciated.

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (8 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

saw flop|<font color="C00000">saw showdown</font>

UTG+1 (t1220)
<font color="C00000">MP1 (t865)</font>
MP2 (t1155)
Hero (t950)
Button (t2310)
SB (t1640)
<font color="C00000">BB (t1075)</font>
UTG (t785)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises to t60</font>, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls t60, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls t45, BB calls t30.

Flop: (t240) 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">BB bets t50</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP1 goes all in for t850</font>, Hero folds, SB folds, BB calls t850.

Turn: (t340) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>

River: (t340) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: t1850<font color="green">Main Pot: t1850 (t1850), between MP1 and BB.</font>

[ChrisV]

I don't think not reraising preflop is bad at all. It leads to ugly situations when he reraises allin.

I wouldn't fold the flop. There is absolutely no way MP1 just rams his stack in there with AA. I don't find the BB's bet scary either - it looks like the classic flush draw or bad ace weak lead to me.

If MP1 has AK as well and BB has a flush draw, that's a bit ugly, but otherwise you're good to trot here. Remember that MP1 has no idea anyone might have AK.

[mason55]

It could just as easily be someone who limped in with A2, A5, 55, or 22. Without the preflop reraise you don't anything about their hands. I would probably discount the trips, because players at this level just LOVE to slowplay any set they flop, so now you're looking at 2 pair or a flush draw. If it were me I would've made a decent reraise preflop so you had a better idea of where you stood, at this point you don't really have any idea what you're up against.

To me, the big blind is probably on a flush draw and I would put MP1 on two pair (or possibly a set if you know he's aggressive).

[ChrisV]

MP1 didn't limp in, he minraised. Not sure about this level, but at the level I play at that more or less eliminates A2 and A5 from consideration.

A set is a more serious concern, but (a) it's reasonably unlikely he happens to have 55 or 22 and (b) even if he did, as you note, players will tend to slowplay sets. To me the gigantic raise smacks of someone trying to protect their hand. I would place him with AJ-AK, more likely AJ or AQ because of the minraise. Maybe even AT... and I agree the BB most likely has a flush draw.

[mason55]

Ah whoops, that's what i get for playing and posting at the same time. Missed the min-raise, you're right, can't seen any one min-raising with A2 or A5.

[spacemonkey57]

Thanks guys. BB actually had 43s for the flopped straight. If I'd 3 bet preflop it probably would have gotten rid of him. Then I would have called the push, but I've gotten a little gun shy about calling all-ins with TPTK when I've still got plenty of chips and the blinds are low.

I hope MP1 didn't learn his lesson about minraising preflop.

[nuclear500]

What was your reasoning for being in late position and not reraising with AK?

Maybe I over value AK too much, but the min-raise call seems a bit silly. I'd have reraised and hopefully let it be only me and him and not that 34s. Forcing the blinds to call two raises is a good position to be in with AK. I'd have made it 180 to go at that point. The 34s may have called anyway but thats poker.

I try to not let the BB check or min-call. Too much chance of a big blind special.

[ferb]

isn't this a no-limit tourney? so why would you be 3betting?

[poboys]

I think this is an excellent point. Your raise accomplishes two things, first it lets you get some information about where you stand. However, early in a low-buyin tourny, I find that players will call your raise (say if you made it T160 to go).

But, to me, the most important thing it does is isolate that player. You definately get good information about the quality of hands other players have.

[spacemonkey57]

[ QUOTE ]
isn't this a no-limit tourney? so why would you be 3betting?

[/ QUOTE ]

I meant reraising preflop. I don't have a good explanation for calling preflop. I just kind of froze since I wasn't paying attention since it was still early on. I always seem to lock up when I've got AK or JJ and it's raised before me.

[ChrisV]

I think reraise and call are both fine plays. The plusses of call are: you get to play a pot with a minraising hand. Minraising hands include stuff like AJ, KJ etc. I prefer to see a flop vs. those hands. Most of the good profit in sit'n'gos is to be made after the flop. Secondly, in the event he reraises allin you will have to fold. The problem is that people routinely reraise allin with QQ, JJ and AK, so I'm not thrilled about folding. Even vs KK, you would much rather see a flop and try to spike the ace. Thirdly, you don't overcommit with AK, which in the words of Cloutier is a drawing hand. A lot of loose aggressive guys will call a reraise with a hand like eights, and then check-raise you on a favourable flop.

The big downside is letting the blind in, but I don't think it's that huge a deal. They don't actually flop straights and flushes very often and when they do, usually you won't be forced into a committment like in this hand. Normally they flop draws and then you punish them on the turn.

By the way, what did MP1 have?

[spacemonkey57]

[ QUOTE ]
By the way, what did MP1 have?

[/ QUOTE ]

AQ, so I really felt like a horses ass for not reraising preflop.

[chill888]

Probably the hand I go broke on the most often in the early stages of a tourney is Ak when I flop a pair (either a K or an ace). I've also double up with it a lot.

It's definitely a hand of feel and where knowledge of your opponents can be helpful. That being said it is very hard to fold even when a known rock comes OTT.

Frankly I've been working on this hand, and trying to get away from it a little more often - when a fold seems to be screaming out. But it's a trouble hand that is far easier to play post flop when you have position

gl