AK Hand

[McGahee]

Hey - I've been playing 1/2 5-max for a while. Thought I'd get some input here instead of Micro for a change.

I'm really more interested in some other general comments on A-high stealing than this specific hand, so I would like to know:
1) Should I have bet the turn?
2) If you say bet, would it still be a bet if I had A5? How about KJ?
3) If you say check, would you call a river bet? What if the turn didn't complete so many draws, like the 2 /images/graemlins/club.gif or the J /images/graemlins/heart.gif - would you bet? How about if the turn was a complete brick and I had A5? KQ?

Lets say villian is a LAP


Paradise Poker 1/2 Hold'em (4 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) T/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 6.25 BB

[JrJordan]

On this particular board I probably check the turn. This board is just too draw happy to take it down here. If he has a club, any pair, or a 4 straight he's calling down another bet anyway so your folding equity is pretty bad and there's a very good chance you're behind. Whether you call a river rag, it's all read dependent. I'd probably be content folding in this case if he's loose-passive.

I'm usually a big proponent of firing the second barrel on the turn with UI overs. In all the other turn card examples you mentioned I bet and hope to see a free showdown unimproved.

If I have A5 instead of AK, then I am even more likely to bet the turn. The reason being, AK plays much better in taking a free card beause of it's supposed 6 clean outs, vs. A5 which has 3. Likewise, I'm more likely to call a river bet with AK over A5, which more often than not I'm folding.

[McGahee]

Thanks - that makes sense.
A lot of times I check the turn UI and call the river with A5 or whatever. I guess that is kind of backwards, because it doesn't have great showdown value and you can prevent the river donkbet by firing on the turn.

[StellarWind]

Check the turn, fold the river unimproved.

The key to the Paradise 1/2 game is when you are ahead Villain will forget to bet the river. That means you have very little to gain by betting this terrible turn board.

[McGahee]

[ QUOTE ]


The key to the Paradise 1/2 game is when you are ahead Villain will forget to bet the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh, I like that line...
For some reason I get off on 'snapping off' river bluffs (the last guy I caught typed in 'LOL nice call' which I found more amusing than you can imagine).
Much more often though I'm shown a pair of 7's or something.