Hi guys, an AK hand.

[Chris Daddy Cool]

SB seems decent, maybe even good. He's built up a big stack and I haven't seen him do anything notable yet.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

saw flop

SB ($4208.08)
Hero ($2735.5)
UTG ($2077)
UTG+1 ($1957.5)
MP1 ($2703)
MP2 ($2871)
MP3 ($3061)
CO ($2282)
Button ($2286.3)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. SB posts a blind of $10.
<font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to $50</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB (poster) calls $40, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $180</font>, CO folds, SB calls $150.

Flop: ($450) 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($450) 5/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $280</font>. Looking good so far?

Villian makes it $750 to go. Your move please.

[AZK]

I probably don't reraise preflop, if I do, this hand is probably at the end of the list of what I do it with. I think the problem here, unless you are totally unpredictable, is that SB knows what you have (more or less), but you don't know what he has. SB's coldcall is probably either big cards AK/AQ or a pair, suspicious. You have to lead this flop, otherwise you have no idea where you are at on the turn. I think it will help you out in figuring whether SB has a set/two pair/free-rolling you etc...as it stands I fold.

Why didn't you lead flop?

[soah]

I would tend to disagree that the SB knows what you have here. Why couldn't he just be trying a move to push you off of KK or JJ? He could easily perceive the flop check as genuine weakness. Depending on the player, that checkraise could be a semi-bluff or nothing at all.

[xorbie]

Why no raise PF? CO is opening with a ton of marginal hands here, and AK is waaaay ahead of his range, and dominating a good deal. I think you lose a lot of value by simply check/folding the flop here and letting CO steal.

As to the hand, I think bet the flop is the way to go.

[Blackjack]

Why the flop check?

Blackjack

[AZK]

As long as you are willing to raise with 76s than I don't see a problem with the reraise. The problem is CO's hand range is huge (like you said), but for most players, when they reraise their hand range is very narrow. It's very easy for an aggressive thinking player to move you off your hand because of this. I suppose I also hate playing a bloated pot out of position with a one pair type hand...

[steaknshake925]

i think this hand wouldve been much easier if you bet 300 or so on the flop. the way it went, i have a hard time folding the turn. if i was SB with say 33 I could easily see your flop check and small turn bet as a scared KK or JJ, and be trying to make a move. the problem with calling the turn is of course you might face a tough decision on the river. i think its possible to call the turn C/R, and fold the river unimproved to a big bet--many players will give up with their small PP or trash bluffs on the river.

[MarkL444]

if SB has 2 pair or a set would he risk checking again on the turn? i have no idea. i have to believe you are in decent shape here, although i dont know the best way to get to a showdown without investing too much.

[Mikey]

Bet the size of the pot on the flop. Too much stuff going on out there.

[chuddo]

i agree a bit with what soah had to say.

the way you played it is how a lot of weak-tight players will play KK post-reraise and an A flop and he thinks you can fold.
---
he also may have had a big draw on the flop J10d, and looked to either check-raise you then or check-call hoping you had a big hand. then he thought you were weak again on the turn and decided to semibluff you then.

if i am calling this raise, im betting out 500 on the river regardless of what falls.

[ML4L]

n/m

[gomberg]

Well - you got great results with the pf reraise. Now for the check on the flop. I think this is fine. Not sure why people don't like the check here. It adds deception and you should be doing this once in a while so that people don't always think you're weak when you "take a free card". On a flop like this, you are way ahead or way behind, so you may as well get some money from an opponent who is way behind.

The CR on the turn is really rough though. You don't really know what he has. You're probably tied, but he could have QQ, a semibluff, KK, AQ, 88, etc. He shouldn't know what you have either.

I'd probably call here and see what he does on the river. That's a good, intimidating bet by him putting you to the test. Interested to hear some other posters' responses.

[Stormwolf]

[ QUOTE ]
Why the flop check?

Blackjack

[/ QUOTE ]

i believe is to keep the pot small