How do you play AK early in first 2 levels? [Archive]

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golfcchs

09-20-2005, 10:02 PM

PartyI'm really having trouble with AK early in the first two levels. I feel that raising is not effective, especially in the first level, because a raise to 50 often results in playing a multi way pot out of position. I have started to limp AK early to play the hand cheaply, but don't know what to do when someone raises after may limp. If I call I will be out of position of the flop and can easily be bluffed by a weaker ace. Interested to know how you play AK early in first two levels. Also would really appreciate comments on these two AK hands below.

Both hand are 20+2 buy in.

Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Button (t740)
SB (t775)
BB (t760)
Hero (t775)
UTG+1 (t800)
MP1 (t655)
MP2 (t295)
MP3 (t775)
CO (t2425)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Hero calls t30, 1 fold, MP1 raises to t125, MP2 raises to 295 all in 5 folds, MP1 calls t170.

Do I throw AK away here, or push?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t995)
BB (t680)
UTG (t1475)
UTG+1 (t975)
MP1 (t655)
MP2 (t425)
MP3 (t765)
CO (t1070)
Button (t960)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif.
4 folds, MP3 calls t30, CO calls t30, Button raises to t100, Hero calls t85, 1 fold, MP3 folds, CO folds.

Flop: (t290) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: (t290) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets t100, Button raises to t200, Hero calls t100.

River: (t690) 4/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets t200, Hero calls t200.

Final Pot: t1090

This hand I had no idea what to do and really just called the river to see what he had. Feel free to reply if you would play any part of this hand differently.

lastchance

09-20-2005, 10:07 PM

1) I raise UTG, just got to know when to let it go, but once you're here, I think I'd fold, though pushing is not that bad against 2 donks.

2) Your line is really risky in a $20+2. I bet-fold turn there. I just can't put him on a bluff enough of the time.

lastchance

09-20-2005, 10:08 PM

1) I like raising UTG, if you can let it go and such. I think folding is right, though if you think both of those guys are donks, I could push over the top.

2) I like betting the turn, I hate calling the minraise. Without a read Villain bluffs, I don't like calling ace high that loses to middle pairs here.

golfcchs

09-20-2005, 10:11 PM

On hand 2 do you ever reraise preflop? Villain could be raiseing alot of hands I am ahead of here.

Olback

09-20-2005, 10:15 PM

Hand 1: I would raise preflop. Given how you played it, i would fold as i do not think i need to gamble this early.

Hand 2: You either have to bet the flop or check/fold the turn i do not see how u can call his miniraise and then bet again on the river with nothing. What do you put him on?

golfcchs

09-20-2005, 10:18 PM

I did not really think I had him beat just frustrated and really wanted to see what he had. It happened to be AQ.

lastchance

09-20-2005, 10:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I did not really think I had him beat just frustrated and really wanted to see what he had. It happened to be AQ.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's going to cost you quite a bit of money. I like the turn bet, BTW, but you've got to fold those spots.

As for reraising preflop, I will do that quite a bit, but not here, with two limpers and the raise in front of me.

suited_ace

09-20-2005, 10:38 PM

1. Your problem was not raising in the first place. What are you trying to achieve with a limp? This is -EV at a $22. You're playing against a bunch of donks, ABC poker is what you need.

2. Against just one opponent I throw a continuation bet 100% of the time in that spot. If you wanna check the flop, then there's no way you're calling his raise.

caretaker1

09-20-2005, 11:15 PM

Hand 1: It's still early, a fold probably is fine there.
Hand 2:
Problem 1: You have ace high.
Problem 2: pre-flop raiser does not bet behind on a ragged board that you were not likely to have hit (translation: the flop hit him, possibly hard)
Problem 3: A min-raise on the turn means he wants to keep you around (again a sign that he has a hand)
Problem 4: Such a small bet on the river indicates the same thing, he has a hand.
Result: At every step of the way villian is telling you he has got a hand, so: I would not bet this on the turn. Had I bet, I don't call the min-raise with ace high, and I don't call the 200 on the river.
Reality: Having said all this, villian probably had A-J and its all wrong.

$.02

golfcchs

09-20-2005, 11:45 PM

Could you elaborate further why limping AK early in fist 2 levels is -ev? I really don't like raiseing level 1 because I usually get multiple callers and then can easily loose money on a out of position continue bet.

45suited

09-21-2005, 12:08 AM

Hand one is actually not a bad scenario. I'm going to assume that the guy who's down to t295 in level 2 is a bit of a donk. A shortstack all-in does not particularly scare me. It 'could' be a PP or even a worse ace. What it does is that it allows me to blow the initial raiser out of the hand when the action gets back to me.

So I'd push hand one when the action got back to me.

Hand two, I would not have played like the OP did. I'll leave it at that.

inyaface

09-21-2005, 12:24 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Hand one is actually not a bad scenario. I'm going to assume that the guy who's down to t295 in level 2 is a bit of a donk. A shortstack all-in does not particularly scare me. It 'could' be a PP or even a worse ace. What it does is that it allows me to blow the initial raiser out of the hand when the action gets back to me.

So I'd push hand one when the action got back to me.

Hand two, I would not have played like the OP did. I'll leave it at that.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed...all of it

golfcchs

09-21-2005, 01:36 AM

I know I butchered hand 2 calling the turn raise and river bet, but would you play it differently any other way?

inyaface

09-21-2005, 01:45 AM

c- bet the flop
fold to any other action after that

NiR

09-21-2005, 02:38 AM

didnt read any of the replies but this is what i do.

hand 1 utg AK, i fold as fast as i can.from middle to late position i raise to around 75 in lvl 1 and 85 in lvl 2. i rarely limp it cause AK sucks multiway. hard to play.

hand 2 i would check/fold turn, if u were planning to clal the min raise on turn then just push instead. but i check/fold here all the time.

dont get in any trouble with AK early. AK is godly hand late game , not early. if u dont hit just fold. dont bother bluffing in these limits.