And I generally like AK...

[Shilly]

One table St. Maartens Sub Qualifier, 1st gets a seat.
Pretty early on, no real reads yet...
Main questions: is a raise pre-flop in order? How about a larger reraise on the flop? My turn all-in was a poor attempt to represent the flush...

Comments requested

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed)

SB (t675)
BB (t800)
UTG (t575)
UTG+1 (t785)
UTG+2 (t800)
MP1 (t1735)
MP2 (t340)
MP3 (t740)
CO (t775)
Hero (t775)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls t15, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls t15, MP2 calls t15, <font color="CC3333">MP3 raises to t45</font>, CO folds, Hero calls t45, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls t30, MP1 calls t30, MP2 calls t30.

Flop: (t250) K/images/graemlins/club.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif, T/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">UTG bets t15</font>, MP1 calls t15, MP2 folds, <font color="CC3333">MP3 raises to t55</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t250</font>, UTG folds, MP1 calls t235, MP3 calls t195.

Turn: (t1015) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
MP1 checks, MP3 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t480 (All-In)</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises to t960</font>, MP3 folds.

River: (t2455) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t2455

Results in white below: <font color="white">
MP1 has 3h Qh (flush, queen high).
Hero has Ac Kd (two pair, kings and tens).
Outcome: MP1 wins t2455. </font>

[willperkins]

I would have raised t135 pre flop (3XBB + t90 already bet). This would have let me know where UTG, MP1, MP2, and MP3 were at in the hand. Besides, if I am going to play AK, I do not want a lot of people in the pot.
If they all called my raise, I would be real careful about betting very much into the pot after the flop with just one pair (albeit top pair, top kicker).

If everyone folded but MP3 and he made a small bet into me after the flop, I would pop him back a little and see what he does. If he reraises, I would lay it down.

If he bet into me again on the turn I would probably lay it down and give him credit for KK or AA.

I havn't looked at the results, but that is the way I would have played the hand. I could be very wrong in my assesment and welcome all critics to my play so I can get better at this game.

[ChrisV]

Normally I advocate not reraising AK preflop at these blinds, but this is an exception because with AKo I don't want to play this pot 4 ways, and MP3's raise is quite weak after two limpers. I imagine with AA or KK he would raise more and I don't see him coming back over the top for the whole lot after I reraise. I would make it 150 or a little less.

That aside, the rest of the hand... I like the raise on the flop because you are going to extract their full stacks if you can dodge a danger card on the turn. Unfortunately you didn't. That H9 waxes you totally. You need to check the turn and then fold the river, or call a small bet. It hurts but you gotta do it. MP1 absolutely stinks of a flush.