AK in the Big Blind

[dr_zorba]

$200 MTT (entry via satellite), 4th (or so) level with 50/100 Blinds which will go up before your next BB.
You have T2200, slightly above avg.
UTG (T2120) recently replaced someone who busted out.
UTG raises 200 (2x the BB) which is Folded around to your [As Kh] in the Big Blind.
Pot is now T350. (Another 100 to go for you.)

#1. Do you call, push in, or re-raise? If re-raise, how much??
-----------------------
[Onward]
Z. re-raises to 400. Op calls. Pot is now T850.
Flop is 8c 8d 6d

#2. You have T1800. What do you do now?
-----------------------
[Onward]
Z. bets 400. Op. calls. Pot is now T1650.
Turn is 2c. [8c 8d 6d 2c]

#3. You have T1400. What do you do now?
-----------------------
[Onward]
Z. bets another 400. Op. calls. Pot is now T2450.
River is 3h. [8c 8d 6d 2c 3h]

#4. You have T1000. What do you do now?
-----------------------
Z. checks. Op bets all-in, T920.
The moment of truth has arrived. Have you been trapped, or have you been set up for this move, and if you’ve been out-played, does it really matter any more?

#5. What do you do?
----------------------
In order to not affect Z-criticism or discussion of playing big cards from the BB (a topic of intense interest to me) with the actual results of this particular hand, I’ll post what I did and what happened later this week, in case anyone is curious.

(And yes, I do know Op's cards -- BUT! You cannot infer that I called since he could have also showed his hand after a fold.)

[MLG]

rarely does one get to say this in the MTT forum...misplayed on every street.

1. I would call, but pushing is probably ok. Any reraise less than a push is pretty close to suicide.

2. If you want to bet you need to be more than 400, maybe 800.

3. You now do not have enough chips in comparison to the pot to do anything but move-in or fold.

4. If you are going to call a bet, you need to push. Otherwise, check fold.

5. Nothing left to say except dont play like this, its bad.

[dr_zorba]

Thanks for your helpful remarks.

I think it was best to Call PF and check/fold with this Flop, as you suggest.

[Myst]

I think calling is the best option here. I dont like reraising b/c
a) you are out of position
b) you still have a big enough stack to play poker.
c) you keep the pot small, which is a boon to good players.

Once you call, check/fold the flop. All you have is a pair of 8s with an ace kicker. UTG could have easily miniraised with Tens-Aces.

[Lloyd]

If you're going to raise pre-flop, make a real raise to try and win the pot right then. I'd say around T600. You're raise did nothing but make it more costly to play future streets. He clearly was going to call, even if he was on a bluff he'd still have the odds to call.

I like calling here for a couple of reasons. First of all, the reason why you re-raise with AK is to knock out other players so you're heads up with someone. You certainly don't want to be in a pot with multiple players. In this case, you are already heads up so you don't need to raise to accomplish this. Furthermore, calling doesn't give a lot of info about your hand. You could have a medium pair, big cards, etc. Re-raising would indicate some type of big card strength. And thirdly, it's cheaper to just call.

I think your bet of about half the pot on the flop is correct. It's a probing bet and if the flop didn't hit your opponent (or if he doesn't have an overpair) he would very likely fold.

When he calls the bet, I'm shutting down unless the turn is favorable. He raised pre-flop showing some strength (and perhaps showing a LOT of strength with a mini-raise that looks like it wants action). You called pre-flop which shows some strength and you followed it up with a bet on the flop that shows you like the flop and represents a pair. And he doesn't care at all because he likes his hand as much as you like the hand you are representing. To me, this means he has an overpair.

I would check-fold the turn and the river. I wouldn't even think about making a bet or calling a bet. You tried to take the pot and missed. Move on.

[Lloyd]

[ QUOTE ]
Once you call, check/fold the flop. All you have is a pair of 8s with an ace kicker. UTG could have easily miniraised with Tens-Aces.

[/ QUOTE ]

I personally think this is a pretty passive play. It's not a horrible flop for you if he has overcards as well. If he could have 99-AA, there are 30 possible hands. He could also have AT-AK where there are 45 possible hands. Excluding AT still leaves 33 overcard combinations. I would pretty much always make a probing bet of around half the pot. I think you'll win more than you'll lose in the long run.

[Jdanz]

Don't raise preflop, you have good cards, and it will be pretty clear if they can be played confidently after the flop.
You don't want to play a drawing hand like ak for a lot of money out of position.

[kalooki45]

Just want to see if I'm right...LOL
He's got a pocket pair.
I HATE AK...that effing hand costs me more money than all others combined. I have taken advice from a bud, and now I use it mostly to steal the blinds...lol..intending to check-fold with a blank flop..the more callers, the faster I fold it.
I might simply call the raiser in your situation..an EP raiser usually has a goodie...when your massive reraise doesn't scare him, it's time to get outta Dodge on a junk flop--cause PPs, even 4s, will beat you.
Mind you, I'm a wuss! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[kuro]

Preflop: I like flat calling from the bb here. It keeps your investment in the hand small so that you can easily get away from it if you don't hit. It also keeps the pot small and gives you room to bet out at the flop and turn without becoming pot committed.

If you're going to reraise then you can't get away with a min-reraise. You need to make it like 1200 to go and be willing to call an all-in.

Flop: I'd bet out 3/4 of the pot and fold to a re-raise.

Turn: I'd bet out 3/4 of the pot and fold to a re-raise.

River: Check/fold to a significant raise.

[nsj]

As has been said in here already, min-raising to build a pot when 2/3rds of the time you're going to have A-high out of position post-flop is an awful play.

I flat call here every time. Then play accordingly. Keep the pot small. It also disguises your hand, and sets up a great check-raise opportunity on a flop that brings a K or A.

[dr_zorba]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and helpful insights.

When Op pushed in, I was so embarrassed by what I had done and so infuriated at having bet so stupidly, with each step worse than the previous (as someone has suggested), that I simply decided whatthehell, no way I'm good enough to win anything with so few chips left -- I might as well give up. So I called, after making sure the "Muck Losing Hand" box was checked. I felt much like a chess player resigning a lost position.

Op had AQd. Not satisfied to raise early and take down a modest but tasty pot, he simply called my bets (I presume) chasing the nut flush trying to bust me. If he didn't catch, he must have figured (very reasonably) that I would lay down Ace-high when he pushed. Little did he know my confused mental state...

Given the result, he played his hand worse than I played mine! It doesn't pay to be too sure of yourself.