The parents are fighting while little Johnny watches...

[chesspain]

GAME #729110729 (LEVEL VII, GAME #7) - 150/300 NO LIMIT TEXAS HOLD'EM - 2005/02/21-22:55:56.3 (CST)
Table "Rockhampton" ($20 tournament) -- Seat 7 is the button

Seat 1: chesspain (4,785.00 in chips)
Seat 2: Mr. Short Stack (840.00 in chips)
Seat 7: Mr. Seems Reasonable (4,375.00 in chips)

chesspain: Post Small Blind (150)
Mr. Short Stack: Post Big Blind (300)

Dealt to chesspain [ Ks Ad ]

Button: Raise (675)
chesspain: Raise (1,700)
BB: Fold
Button: Raise (2,800)
chesspain: Raise All-in (2,935)
Button: Call All-in (900)

Is it foolish to go toe-to-toe against the second biggest stack with only AK? Should I have either folded to or just called the initial raise? Or was the initial raise fine, but I needed to fold to the reraise?

[chesspain]

.

[Phil Van Sexton]

In most cases, I would've called like I did here (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=singletable&Number=1742377 &Forum=,,All_Forums,,&Words=&Searchpage=1&Limit=25 &Main=1742377&Search=true&where=&Name=8271&dateran ge=&newerval=&newertype=&olderval=&oldertype=&body prev=#Post1742377). If the raiser had been making a lot of annoying small raises, I would've pushed. If he's raising like this a lot, he probably doesn't have the goods, and I'd like to put a stop these annoying raises right now.

Your smallish raise was interesting. It makes the BB fold and probably gets the button to fold, but without risking your stack....oh wait, you pushed after his re-re-raise.

I'm not opposed to the idea of your 1st raise, but I think you have to get out after he plays back at you again.

I know pot odds, pot odds....but I'm not nearly as excited about my AK after a re-re-raise. If this player is capable of a tricky re-re-raise without AA/KK, you should've called/pushed in the first place.

[wuwei]

How tight was mr. reasonable playing? Was this raise his standard steal raise? Assuming this is true, the first reraise is great and I like the amount. You've explained to him that you really like your hand, and he won't be stealing these blinds. If this min raise is not his usual steal, I would proceed with caution and just call.

When he reraises you, it becomes clear he really likes his hand as well. Also, he really wants you to call, which is the scariest part. That's where I likely lay down. At best, you've got a race here against QQ or maybe JJ. At worst, we're facing AA. If I'm reading things correctly, you will still have 2785 left. That's plenty to outlast the short stack and makes you competitive heads up v. mr. reasonable.