Two Standard Plays with AK - I hope

[Somekid]

Here are two hands I played last night with AK. Assume typical 2/4 opponents. If villian calls and checks the turn do I fire again or go for the free card?

PartyPoker - $2/$4 - 8 players (Converter: PGC (http://client.pokergrader.com))
Hero is Mp1 with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

PreFlop
<font color="blue">Utg folds</font>, <font color="blue">Utg+1 folds</font>, <font color="red">Hero RAISES</font>, <font color="blue">Mp2 folds</font>, <font color="blue">CO folds</font>, <font color="blue">Button folds</font>
<font color="blue">SB folds</font>, <font color="green">BB Calls</font>

(2 players) FLOP: T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif T/images/graemlins/spade.gif ( Pot Size: 2.25 BB )
<font color="red">BB BETS</font>, <font color="red">Hero RAISES</font>

PartyPoker - $2/$4 - 10 players (Converter: PGC (http://client.pokergrader.com))
Hero is Mp2 with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif K/images/graemlins/club.gif

PreFlop
<font color="green">Utg Calls</font>, <font color="blue">Utg+1 folds</font>, <font color="blue">Mp1 folds</font>, <font color="red">Hero RAISES</font>, <font color="blue">Mp3 folds</font>, <font color="blue">Lp1 folds</font>, <font color="blue">CO folds</font>, <font color="blue">Button folds</font>
<font color="blue">SB folds</font>, <font color="blue">BB folds</font>, <font color="green">Utg Calls</font>

(2 players) FLOP: T/images/graemlins/spade.gif 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif Q/images/graemlins/club.gif ( Pot Size: 2.75 BB )
<font color="red">Utg BETS</font>, <font color="red">Hero RAISES</font>

[Sarge85]

I don't get doing this Heads Up.

Sarge/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[SmileyEH]

I would call all the way down in the first hand. Raise on the second hand is ok, but you're going to be stopngod a lot too.

-SmileyEH

[Somekid]

I don't understand calling all the way in the first hand. By raising the flop I could get a free card, also because the board is paired I could represent trip tens. Why would you call all the way?

[SmileyEH]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't understand calling all the way in the first hand. By raising the flop I could get a free card, also because the board is paired I could represent trip tens. Why would you call all the way?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I guess you can fold to a 3bet. But villian will often lead the flop with nothing or a T or a 7. You don't want to raise for a free card if you're drawing dead, and you don't want him to stop betting if he has nothing.

-SmileyEH

[meep_42]

Are you really raising the flop with trip tens?

Me neither.

-d

[Somekid]

so everyone calls both flops?

[meep_42]

No, I raise the 2nd for a free one, too. I'd like it more if you had a spade, but, such is life.

-d

[flair1239]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you really raising the flop with trip tens?

Me neither.

-d

[/ QUOTE ]

Call me stupid, but yes I will frequently. Maybe I will post a couple tonight. I don't know if I do it more than 60% the time HU, but I bet I do more than half.

This trend of calling down HU for fear of having the other person fold, is being taken way too far. Yes, there have been times where it has been an immediate fold, but there have been plenty of other times where I have gotten action from bottom pair, pocket pair, or Ace high on the flop. I don't have exact number, but Maybe over the next few days I will do a Pokertracker Study.

I don't raise it everytime on the flop. Sometimes the turn and sometimes the river.

My rationale is that, most players are wary of chucking a hand with some potential for .5BB on a paired board HU.

[jjacky]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you really raising the flop with trip tens?

Me neither.

-d

[/ QUOTE ]

i raise with trip tens and similar hands very often. if i feel that i don't get enough action, i will balance my value raises with more and more bluff raises.
and as far as i have experienced the tables where i won't get action when i raise in a situation like the first example of OP are very profitable.

[jjacky]

i raise the first flop against any but the most passive opponents. most of the time i will bet the turn for value.


second flop appears to be very close. but i think i would raise it pretty often.

[Scott_Baio]

call hand 1 and raise hand 2...

you don't want free cards on hand 1 because you don't have much of a draw... you are trying to win this one with nut no pair.

hand 2 is a different can of worms, if it's bet down, you aren't winning it with AK high. Therefore, you are raising to stop Ace rag or flush draw from bluffing you out and also slowing down a ten or weak queen so you can catch your gutty or 2 overcards.

[jjacky]

[ QUOTE ]
call hand 1 and raise hand 2...

you don't want free cards on hand 1 because you don't have much of a draw... you are trying to win this one with nut no pair.

hand 2 is a different can of worms, if it's bet down, you aren't winning it with AK high. Therefore, you are raising to stop Ace rag or flush draw from bluffing you out and also slowing down a ten or weak queen so you can catch your gutty or 2 overcards.

[/ QUOTE ]

against an agressive opponent you will have the best hand on the flop very often! it's very important to protect that. if you fail to raise and the button is probing, you will probably lose the hand to a bluff on the turn.
and if hero is behind, he will have 6 clear outs almost all the time, because most people slowplay a ten in this situation. and you may even make the big score: if the button has a small pair (lower than the 7) there is a decent chance that he will lay it down.