55: 1st hand of tourney, I fold AKo to 4.5BB raise

[downtown]

UTG+1 is a solid regular multi-tabler who is very tight early, and I have a note on him that says, "2+2?"

Thoughts?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx (http://www.zerodivide.cx/converter)

1st hand, so everyone has t1000.

Preflop: Hero is CO with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises to t70</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero folds</font>.

[tigerite]

I would never fold this here, I would however, just call.

[fnord_too]

I usually call there. Especially with position you can control the pot size post flop; but I see the other side, too, that if you hit an ace or a king you are not going to win much when you are ahead, so your implied odds are pretty low since by your description he is not raising an ace less than AK here (and you bleed when he flops a set and you flop TPTK).

[bennies]

nh. Well not really, who likes to fold AK but I'd do the same and it's not close. AKo is horrible HU against a range like JJ+, AK.

It's easy to say for me now but nice laydown. If this player is a solid regular multi-tabler I would respect his UTG raise too and putting him as someone mentioned on a really tight holding like AA-QQ (not sure with JJ, would he really raise with that? Worth to think off) and AKs. I don't think I would be capable of folding but I probably should.

[Freudian]

I pretty much always fold AK to a 4-5xBB raise from a TAG multitabler in level 1. Very often I will see QQ-AA at showdown.

If I have position and the player is slightly looser then I often re-raise or call.

Of course this is for the 22s and I realize a 4-5xBB raise from a solid player at the 55s can mean a wider range of hands.

[PinkSteel]

No one thinks having position on the raiser makes it worth it? I'd be awfully tempted to flat call and cross my fingers for a good flop.

No question, most likely outcome is you fold to his flop continuation bet. But the less likely scenario could get really juicy.

[zambonidrivr]

i don't mind the laydown at all

i would have called... hoping to see a king or ace flop... with a couple unders.

this kind of laydown has truly elevated my game. NH

[tshak]

Considering position, first hand of tourney, and your "2+2" note, this read is enough for me to put villian on JJ+, AKs (maybe AKo). The pot is offering you about even money to see a flop in which you're at least a 2:1 dog (potentially 4:1 or worse). So when you're not way behind you'll either split or take a small pot as villian will not pay you off for your big A as he is most likely not the type to overplay a mid pocket pair. I don't think you have implied odds here, I don't think you're up against a weaker A, and the pot odds are horrid so I personally would fold here. If you are a very strong flop player and think you can out maneuver villian, then maybe I'd call since you have position. I also call with AKs simply because I have more ways to win and my hand will stand up better if the blinds get involved.

[durron597]

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I would never fold this here, I would however, just call.

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[downtown]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I would never fold this here, I would however, just call.

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Any explanation from this camp? I came very close to just calling, but I couldn't think of a flop I would like to see.

My range for this opponent is AQs+, AKo, maybe JJ+ definitely QQ+

Just so you have all the info and my thought process... He is going to be tough to play postflop. I sort of thought of it as I wouldn't want to mix it up with me if I had just made that raise UTG+1. I had played him about 15 times before, he's definitely a winning player, he was currently on 4 of my 8 tables, his VP$IP was about 10% for level 1, his PFR% 15.

The blinds are just so tiny and I feel my card advantage is slim to none, and I'm not going to get paid off very often when I do hit, and I'm gonna hate putting all my money in with TPTK here... I see merits in possibly being able to outmaneuver this player postflop, but I just don't think it's worth it.

[tigerite]

Say he has got JJ,AQ+.. then why let him have the 25 chips for free when you yourself have AK, which is a premium hand? Plus the fact you have position on him.. if he's as good as you say he is, he's going to know your flat call means you, also, have a hand and he'll be playing the flop very cautiously.

I fail to see the problem here. You'll have position on him throughout the hand.. it's worth 75 chips when you start with 1000..

[durron597]

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and I'm gonna hate putting all my money in with TPTK here...

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If his hand range is TT+/AQ+ he should be very easy to play against postflop.

[Mr_Oog]

I would also call. I would expect AQs+ and JJ+.

High card hands: You are a large favorite here. Not just in terms of having AK vs his somewhat possibble AQ and AK, but due to position and the likelihood the flop will miss both of you.

Big pairs: You are a dog, but as long as you can play well post flop you should be ok. You have some room with 1000 chips, don't be afraid to play.

I expect to call or raise the flop (more likely raise) depending on his bet size. If he shuts down on the turn I will steal the pot from him unless I have a monster.
This will cost some chips, but is very likely to win you some chips as he will only continue with a good made hand.
-Mike

[Paragon]

I like the fold. I would argue the advantage of our position is very small against his range of hands.

The so-called "implied odds" of hitting TP are terrible as well. If he's a multi-tabling TAG, then he can certainly fold JJ-KK on an A flop. What would be the plan for AJx, AQx, KQx, KJx flops as well... Even AKx? These are all way ahead or way behind scenarios. If anything, AK has reverse implied odds, not the other way around. The realistic hope is like K high flop with flush draw or something, and other guy gets confused into thinking you're semi bluffing instead of value betting.

We all agree coinflips for our entire stack at the start of sng's are bad... But what about for half our stack? 1/4 our stack? 10% of our stack? I just muck here as it doesn't even seem like a coinflip.