(5.5) - Did I play this AKs poorly?

[grayhawk]

$5.5 SnG on Poker Rewards. 2nd hand, so no reads.

Blinds are 10/20.

UTG (t1000)
Hero (t1000)
UTG+2 (t980)
MP1 (t980)
MP2 (t1000)
Villain (t980)
CO (t1090)
Button (t990)
SB (t980)
BB (t1000)

Preflop: Hero is dealt A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(10 players)</font>
UTG folds, <font color="red">Hero raises (t80)</font>, 3 folds, Villain calls (t80), 4 folds.

Flop: (t190) A /images/graemlins/club.gif, 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif, 6 /images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="red">Hero bets (t100)</font>, <font color="red">Villain raises (t200)</font>, Hero calls (t100)

Turn: (t590) 2 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="red">Villain bets (t80)</font>, Hero calls (t80)

River: (t750) 3 /images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="red">Villain bets (t80)</font>, Hero calls (t80)

Final pot: (t910) How did I play it?

[Sciolist]

I'd be looking to reraise on the flop - all you have to worry about is a9 and 99 really, but AQ down to A2 or whatever are going to be paying you off in a $5 game. I'd probablyput it all-in to his reraise on the flop.

[grayhawk]

I considered that, but since I raised preflop, villain may be concerned about being outkicked, even though I could have raised 4X from 2nd position with KK, QQ, JJ or TT as well. If I push and he does have A9, I am drawing to 3 outs and if he has 99, I am almost dead. How likely is A9 cold calling a 4X raise?

Donkeys at $5.50 don't think about being outkicked. Move all in on the flop or at least re-raise

[bchughes]

[ QUOTE ]
How likely is A9 cold calling a 4X raise?

[/ QUOTE ]

At the 5.5s? Very likely.

[RoyalLance]

Bad. In $5.00 games, people can easily make the raise with bottom pair or a weak flush draw. You should have pushed when he re-raised you on the flop. Passivism is with a good hand only helps your opposition.

[grayhawk]

Question - if you are pushing, how much do you want to get called? Are you pushing to get a better hand to fold, or pushing to take down the pot right here from a worse hand that has a few outs? Or are you pushing and praying for a call?

If you push here, 99 will certianly call and anyone who cold called 4X w/A9 will certainly call as well. 66 is also a possibility, but a little less likely.

[tjh]

To the OP. It is good to analyze your play. I think that you are giving the other players way to much credit. Sure A-9 and 99 are going to call and win.

What about A-Q, A-J, A-T, A8, A7, A6 (Well NOT A6), A5,

Add any two of those hands the the calling range of the villain and the push is justified. And yes you want them to call. And yes they do call with that and play like that.

Do not give them the credit of being as good as you. Sure you are still playing the 5's and perhaps are just getting started but you are reading 2+2. You are thinking about your game. You are analyzing situations.

You have to give them some credit for thinking in some way but the danger is that you assume that they think exactly like you do. They do not. And thinking that they would do what you would do only leads to a maddening circle of insolvable questions.

Back to the hand...
If they do fold to your raise on the flop then you only lose 160 chips that you got in on the turn and the river.

Suppose for a second that Villlain has AXs in hearts ? That puts a whole new persepctive on your turn bet. Come to think of it, assuming your opponent is crafty and cunning (LOL) then the bluff at the flop with a nut flush draw might be a play that they would make.

In general at the 5's I would advise against giving them to much credit.

Good luck with your game.

--
tjh

What if he is on flush draw? Do you want to push the flop or keep him in until the turn then push? Typically anything from 22's down will call flush draw on flop but will drop on turn. He is roughly 4 to 1 to catch on the turn but if you push flop and he calls he doubles his odds? I always wonder how to play the flush draws and have re-evaluated my flop push reraise strategy.

[grayhawk]

I was concerned about the flush draw, which is why I gave him 2.9 to 1 to call on the flop. I could have bet a little more to reduce his odds further, but also wanted my bet to look like a standard continuation bet. If he called and a blank fell on the turn, I would have bet a little more than 2/3 of the pot to ensure a flush draw was making an even bigger mistake in hanging around.

tjh, I agree that I probably am giving your average $5 player too much credit, but my experience on Poker Rewards is that when most people put in this kind of raise, they have the hand to back it up. Of course, there are still quite a few super LAGs, and this being hand #2, I didn't have a read, But more often than not (at least lately), I am seeing good hands shown down in these situations.

[nova]

I have no experience on Poker Rewards, but at this level you'll see people calling significant PF raises wtih Ax, especially if it's suited. You could be looking at 2p (it is possible I think) or likely 99. I'd reraise the flop, TPTK doesn't get checked down at a 5.5.

[grayhawk]

Well, he had A9 offsuit and took down the pot. I can see the arguments for raising or pushing the flop, even though I would have likely been out of the tournament in 10th place. I think I lost the least I could have on this hand, though my play was probably not maximizing EV based on his possible holdings. The lesson for me being to be more aggressive in these situations because they have A-rag more often than the 2 pair or set. Thanks everyone.