That Pesky AK

It is the fourth round of Foxwoods $500 NL tournament. Blinds are at 75/150. You have just been moved to a new table and are still learning the players. You have played 1 lap. You observe a particular player make a call on the button with 35o against the blinds. The big blind is in short stack mode and moves all in for 600 more. The button who has about 3000 !?calls?! and loses to an actual hand. You have also observed this player play many pots where he has made 2X and 3X raises and/or called.


You get AKo in middle position and make it 450 to go. You get popped by this player (who has the button) as he makes it 1500 to go. It is headsup. You have 1600 left? What do you do and what is your thought process. Results to follow.

Moe,


I'd call him. Since, he plays a wide variety of hands he could have anything. Most of the time when you get reraised by a player and you are holding AK, you will see a pair of queens or jacks. Don't forget that with AK you reduce the amount of combinations that are available to be up against AA or KK.


But, with the blinds going up, you need to have a big stack otherwise, I think you are going to get pounded on by the players that get the large stacks. So, if your opponent does have a pair he will be a slight favorite to win the hand, but the pot is offering you the right price to call.


Good Luck


Mark

You lose about T650 (EV-wise) if he would make this play only with aces or kings (2*3 = 6 combinations).


Any other pair (QQ or lower, also 6 comb. each) will earn you about T250.


AK will make you T560 (i.e. you get your money back plus 1/2 of the blinds, and little less if he has AKs, 9 comb.).


Any lesser ace or king like AQ (12 comb. each) makes you a whooping T1600.


If he would make this play only with AA-JJ, you have a clear fold. If he would make this play with any pair, you have a close call but might still fold when the premium on survival is higher than those T175 in EV. But if he would play even a single non-pair hand (even if it's just another AK), you have to go in.


You can also try to call and bet your remaining T550 if you miss. If you're really lucky he might sometimes laydown a small pair when facing two or three overcards. (although I wouldn't expect too much in the way of folding from a guy who calls preflop with 53o)


cu


Ignatius

A lot of players I know can call and make small raises with funny hands but won't actually reraise without the goods. This is quite a tricky spot. With half as many chips left (800) I would call ; with twice as many and if he also had 3000 or more I might pass ; here I think I would have to be there. Depends on his perception of you but if you don't know each other and you're not been at the table long it's hard to know.


I would probably have to go with my gut feeling whether he really has a big hand (AA, KK, fortunately these are the two hands most susceptible to giving a tell).


Andy.

Normally I wouldn't call a re-raise with AK. So it would be a straightforward fold here but for two things:


One: Your opponent is clearly a lunatic. So it’s tempting to think that maybe he doesn’t have a hand. If he’ll call with 35o maybe he’ll raise holding any two cards. Maybe, sometimes, but here he’s re-raising before the flop so I’m going to give him credit for a hand.


Two: Your chip position, I don’t know how you match up against an average size stack but if you think you need to make a move soon to improve your relative chip position and keep up with the blinds then this is your chance to do it. Except, chances are he has a hand and you’re behind going into the flop.


I’d fold. I’d stop to think about it but I think I’d still fold.

He undoubtedly has a pair of treys. When the flop comes A K 3 with the turn another K and he rivers the case trey for quads to beat your kings full you will be totally sick so in this situation it is a clear fold simply to save your sanity if not your chips.


Jimbo