AK in level 1 with 2 raises before me

[Dave613]

Hi all,
this was a frustrating loss at a 20+2. I was assuming that my reraise was large enough for 1 of them to fold, but I was apprehensive about pushing because MP2 was so shortstacked (willing to go allin). I realize that this is abit contradictory and I now think I should have just pushed (but I also now know that MP3 had KQ and probably would have folded if I pushed...though he SHOULD have folded with my 200 raise anyway right?). How would you have played this differently?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t775)
SB (t388)
BB (t930)
UTG (t700)
UTG+1 (t890)
UTG+2 (t700)
MP1 (t1590)
MP2 (t350)
MP3 (t892)
CO (t785)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP1 calls t15, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to t45</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 raises to t75</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t200</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to t350 (All-In)</font>, MP3 calls t275, Hero calls t150.

Flop: (t1105) K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets t125</font>, Hero calls t125.

Turn: (t1355) 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets t150</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t300 (All-In)</font>, MP3 calls t150.

River: (t1955) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 2 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t1955

[djshawk]

Push the flop &amp; dont post bad beats.

[mithong]

I dont know about pushing here... you have almost no fold equity and are most likely a slight dog... i think th better options would be to call the 75 and act on the flop or just fold. you'll be able to outplay them later in the game.

[Bigwig]

MP3's hand smells like QQ-AA before it reaches you preflop. I'm not going to fold for 75 here, but I am going to flat call. After that flop, I'm probably going broke, too. But, considering the way that the hand played out, you should have pushed the flop.

[Dave613]

Thanks for the reply, but I wasnt posting to get out some angst...I honestly was curious about how others would deal with 2 raisers in front. But I am fairly new here...is it very frowned upon to say if you won or lost and how? It was what the winner was holding that got me thinking of how I should have played it differently.

[bluefeet]

I would have reraised MP3 all-in preflop. MP2 is coming along regardless IMO. If you put MP3 in now, he has a very safe exit point having only put in T75. Another less aggressive option would have been to just call the T75 yourself. I wouldn't mind taking your hand 3-handed to the flop, only having put in T75. A little riskier move though, as MP2 could have reraised your smooth-call, pricing in MP3 again before you (got all of that? /images/graemlins/wink.gif). I think the raise to T200 would be the least desirable option. With MP2's subsequent push, MP3 is being offered far too good of pot odds for a hand that was worth raising with to begin with.

Regardless of the PF action..........you MUST push that flop. You only have T425 left. I don't know if you were attempting to trap, or were scared of some kind of hand - no matter...his bet puts over T1200 in the pot. You have your TPTK - push!!

[Bigwig]

How is pushing all-in preflop less risky that calling?

[bluefeet]

.....did get a little confusing. The 'risk' of calling IMO, is that the betting is not over yet. I think it is likely that MP2 would say "screw it. i have a hand, I'm pushing". When he does, MP3 calls. You are now back seeing a 3-handed flop (1 out of chips of course) at a cost of T350. And trying to push MP2 out at this point will be less successful, as he is already in for T350.

Yes, my first choice would be - flop @ T75. But with MP2 still to act, and if you assume he might push, I'd consider using this opportunity to get MP3 out of the hand.

[Dave613]

"I think the raise to T200 would be the least desirable option. With MP2's subsequent push, MP3 is being offered far too good of pot odds for a hand that was worth raising with to begin with."

I agree that this was a bad move...the result of having two different strands of thought going thru my mind. With MP3s hole cards, I was dead meat after the preflop action anyway. This one was a toughy...hindesight is 20/20 right?

thanks again guys

[draw2aflush]

There is no way to put the short stack on a better hand than yours.I will explain why.Tell me if things were different. This early in the game and short stack is that LOW!!.Really bad player which means you are probably winning.Unless he got stung with a big hand earlier.You should have pushed preflop.Happy to be heads up with the short stack.Do not worry about the raise by utg (sry whoever raised to 75)They are most likely trying to get it heads up.AK suited only hand that is scary that you might be up against is AA or KK.(I learned along time you cannot be afraid of monsters.)Also AA or KK would generally raise more than 75 or call and slowplay and they did neither.Looking good preflop (Push it!!!)

[draw2aflush]

The bet of 75 reeks of AQ,AK,KQ.Players will usually slowplay AA,KK,or QQs or bet 8-10 times the BB.betting 3-4 times the BB almost always ends up being AK,AQ,KQ.

[Bigwig]

[ QUOTE ]
The bet of 75 reeks of AQ,AK,KQ.Players will usually slowplay AA,KK,or QQs or bet 8-10 times the BB.betting 3-4 times the BB almost always ends up being AK,AQ,KQ.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree. The minimum reraise preflop is often a danger sign.

[draw2aflush]

It was not the minimum raise preflop though.BB was 15 to go.If it had been the minimum raise preflop I agree with you.That is why I posted earlier that someone with AA,KK,or QQ is more likely to slowplay meaning call or raise to 30 or bet much larger.Those are red flags.This situtation was not a minimum raise though

[Bigwig]

[ QUOTE ]
It was not the minimum raise preflop though

[/ QUOTE ]

1 fold, UTG+1 calls t15, 1 fold, MP1 calls t15, MP2 raises to t45, MP3 raises to t75


MP2 raised to 45, and MP3 reraised THE MINIMUM to 75.

A minimum reraise is alarming.

[draw2aflush]

I see your point but, if mp3 is anygood they would realize the short stack is a weak player and they are trying to isolate.Very reasonable to believe that and 75 is enough to test hero.mp3 is given me no reason to believe he is holding a monster.Hero raising to 200 then short stack going all in making it 345 and mp3 just calls.Very likely mp3 is not holding AA,KK, or QQs.

[Bigwig]

[ QUOTE ]
I see your point but, if mp3 is anygood they would realize the short stack is a weak player and they are trying to isolate.Very reasonable to believe that and 75 is enough to test hero.mp3 is given me no reason to believe he is holding a monster.Hero raising to 200 then short stack going all in making it 345 and mp3 just calls.Very likely mp3 is not holding AA,KK, or QQs.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a good possibility that they are trying to isolate the short stack--yes. However, what makes you think shorty is a weak player?

[draw2aflush]

The short stack is mighty small this early in the tournament.I asked the poster if the short stack got stung badly by a monster or was it just weak playing.Never responded.So I was just choosing one senciaro.That the short stack had been squandering chips.It would change things if they were a solid player yes.I think the poster is playing in a low stake sngo also.Chances are people are playing badly.I was guessing though because the poster was more interested in responding to one word written posts.

[jgunnip]

[ QUOTE ]
I am fairly new here...is it very frowned upon to say if you won or lost and how?

[/ QUOTE ]

Generally you want to omit the results in the initialy post so that it doesn't bias the responses. It's ok to let people know the results if they ask, but the idea is that the results aren't what matter, its your play that does.