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Augie
10-08-2004, 03:09 AM
Thinking about my play with AK of late, and wondering if I need to make some changes. Specifically, around halfway through the tourney, when the blinds mean something.

The scenario:
Pokerstars, usually $22 - lets say 5 players are left. Blinds are 75-150, and everybody has enough chips to play (all 5 players have at least t2000).

UTG+1 makes a miniraise to t300, and you have AK on the button. Usually I just push here, but do I need to look at other factors and adjust my play accordingly?

1. If the miniraiser has more chips than me, should I call and try to hit the flop?

2. If the miniraiser is willing to call allin bets with small pairs, or something like QJ, should I just call (because I would be gambling with small edges or coin flips)? Or is the push still correct because he will also call with hands I dominate, AQ,AJ,KQ? (Although, I think I know the answer if he is willing to call with any Ace.)

3. Is reraising less than allin a viable option? Raise his miniraise another t500-t600. With what stack sizes would this line work well, if at all? Or do some of you advocate miniraising the miniraiser? (I don't think I would be comfortable with that, but I'm not sure why.)

4. Does having the button make a call more correct? So that one can use his positional advantage.

5. Lets say we are in one of the blinds when UTG+1 miniraises. Without position, this seems to make an allin doubly attractive, however I am willing to entertain other lines.

6. Or, should I just keep Pushing along my merry way? Because this avoids outguessing myself and allows me to continue multitabling without much thought.


Any thoughts are appreciated. I'm not looking for any hard and fast rules, but for ideas/thoughts that will lead to correct decision making.

BTW, for the scenario above, I have our opponent miniraising
because I didn't want him potsuck, since that would make our decision one of allin/folding, yes? With allin being more prevalent.