Reraising with AK

[NYCNative]

At lower levels, the players will often minraise. I don't feel comfortable reraising with AK in most cases at a full table. It seems that if I don't reraise, and I hit TPTK, I am in a giant multiway pot so I don't feel confident if it's good especially if the action gets heavy because few people fold to a minraise. If I do reraise, someone behind me reraises that and I vomit in my mouth a little, or I get a caller or two and completely miss on the flop and now I have spent bled chips - even more if I go the continuation ber on the flop route.

How do I handle this situation that turns a great hand into a liability?

[Isura]

If it's a minraise and several callers, I usually just call and see the flop. If I hit top pair or better on the flop, I just bet the pot or raise a normal bet depending on the action and the bettor. If the flop comes something like A94 or KT6, hands like QQ-JJ, AT are still pushing or going over the top of your pot sized bet, so you have to be prepared for that though. If the board isn't too scary and it will be heads-up, it's usually +EV to call. Sometimes I just call a flop bet if the board is coordinated and reevaluate the turn. Your equity goes way up or down on the turn usually, so we can get away from it or bet strong.

[bluefeet]

I agree with Isura. With an early raiser followed by a limper or two, I won't make any attempt to thin the crowd. You have the benifit of having the PFraiser in front of you. His reaction to the flop and that of those behind him should give you plenty of information to guide you post flop.

[wiggs73]

it depends on my position. in early to mid positions, i will just call the raise, like others have said. in late position in the early rounds, i like pushing AK. i find that i am often a large favorite and rarely any less than than an underdog in a coinflip. i think the amount of times i pick up the chips from the limpers / callers of a min-raise, combined with the number of times i'm called and win, make this a +EV move.

Note that I will NOT do this if a larger-than-min raise has been made and there are several callers OR if there are only a couple of people at most in the hand by the time action reaches me pre-flop. i like to try to see a flop in that case from late position and evaluate my hand once action is around to me on the flop.

[suited_ace]

I like the exact opposite: re-raise in EP and MP (to isolate the player), call in LP (you have position on the player).

Pushing from the blinds can be very interesting, AK is a hand that plays very well hot/cold.

[mosdef]

[ QUOTE ]
I like the exact opposite: re-raise in EP and MP (to isolate the player), call in LP (you have position on the player).

Pushing from the blinds can be very interesting, AK is a hand that plays very well hot/cold.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, i don't necessarily disagree with this, but i would phrase it a different way. i agree that when you're in bad position it's a good idea to reraise to isolate. when you're in late position, you should look to build the pot. both of these goals can be achieved with raises. i would emphasize that a raise out of position MUST be large enough to isolate an opponent because you don't want to play a large pot out of position. in late position, a reraise is still warranted if you will get some callers and build the pot with position. so it's not necessarily a "do i raise or not raise" question, but i would say it's a "how much raise" question.

[pergesu]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems that if I don't reraise, and I hit TPTK, I am in a giant multiway pot so I don't feel confident if it's good especially if the action gets heavy because few people fold to a minraise.

[/ QUOTE ]
Dude, that's what you want. TPTK in a multiway, minraised pot is a beautiful thing, because you're guaranteed to get all-in against someone who's drawing slim. Occasionally you're beat, but the vast majority of the time it's just a chip factory. The only thing better than AK+TPTK is a set in a multiway minraised pot, preferably with an A or K on board. mmmm..