AK 3-way

[dfscott]

10 player home tourney, in the money, Big Blind is t160 (stacks are estimates). Big stack is laggy but not comfortable playing short-handed. SB is a solid player.

Button (t6000)
SB (t2000)
Hero (t2000)

Preflop: Hero is BB with AKo.
Button folds, SB calls t160, Hero checks.

Bad play by not raising? My thoughts were to see how I hit the flop and go from there.

Flop: 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif 8/images/graemlins/club.gif

SB bets all-in, Hero ???

[jah0550]

Why not raise PF? HU with AK is a dominating hand. If the SB is a solid player, come over the top of him PF. He would probably fold. I think overall you misplayed this hand, but fold on his allin and live to fight another day.

[dfscott]

[ QUOTE ]
Why not raise PF?

[/ QUOTE ]

Assuming I raise PF and he calls, do you still fold to the flop all-in?

If I raise PF and he puts me all-in, do you fold there or call the all-in with AK?

[Benholio]

Responding to your reply to someone else, :P

[ QUOTE ]
Assuming I raise PF and he calls, do you still fold to the flop all-in?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you show strength pre-flop by raising, he will be less likely to bluff at the flop (or bet what he thinks may be the best hand). For this reason, you can respect his bet on the flop a little more if he still comes out with it after a raise.

By not raising PF, you can't really define his range of hands or motives for raising, so you are really in the dark.

[ QUOTE ]
If I raise PF and he puts me all-in, do you fold there or call the all-in with AK?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't fold AK 3-handed, except in extreme circumstances. While a SB complete-then-reraise trap usually means strength, it still isn't enough to get me to lay this down. I'd call and hope he doesn't have AA or KK.

[Unarmed]

I agree, raise PF...its a no brainer. AK isn't AA.
Given you didn't, I'd need to have a pretty incredible read to call that all-in. From his perspective, you showed no strength PF, so its not out of the question you could have hit this flop with 83o/62o or equivalent. You say he's solid, so he has to realize push bluffing into an opp. with a random hand not good enough to raise a limper with is a risky move on that board.

[dfscott]

Thanks, all -- looks like I messed this one up. I called his all-in and he flipped over a pair of tens.