Bricked AK after the flop

[asdf1234]

Live 3/6 game

Relatively tight table, but not particularly aggressive.

I'm dealt A /images/graemlins/heart.gifK /images/graemlins/club.gif UTG + 1

UTG folds, and I raise, one fold, one caller, folded to button who calls, blinds fold.

Flop: Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif7 /images/graemlins/spade.gif5 /images/graemlins/spade.gif
I bet, both call.

Turn: 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
I check, MP checks, button bets, I fold

Any comments?

[badboy]

This is one of those situations where a great starting hand just doesn't look so great after the flop. I would probably just check and then abandon it to bet after the flop. Sure you have two overcards but you don't know what the bet indicates or if another spade will fall. Save your money for the next hand.

[chesspain]

Lets see...

You don't have position,
you don't have a pair,
you don't have a spade,
but you had a good checkfold /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[asdf1234]

Yeah, that was pretty much my thinking, but the way the table had been running, I figured I had about a 50/50 shot at stealing it on the flop. Oh well.

[Alobar]

50/50 is positve EV in that situation

[Bob T.]

LOL, what more could you say.

[LetsRock]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that was pretty much my thinking, but the way the table had been running, I figured I had about a 50/50 shot at stealing it on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you think that you have an even better shot at stealing on the turn? I hate these kinds of hands and they very well may be a leak in the game (which I'm sure you'll all let me know about).

When I PFR an AKo I follow it with aggressive flop and at least turn betting (if there was no "notice" given on the flop bet). I want my AK and AQ PFRs to look just like my AA/KK PFRs.

It's not a particularly unique notion that many folks will take a peek at the turn but not the river so it can be a very effective bluffing round. There's lots to be worried about, but you have to remember that the board is equally scary to everyone else (unless they have Ax /images/graemlins/spade.gif).

Sometimes this works, sometimes it don't. My preference in this situation is to be the aggressor and fold to anyone who makes a fuss. Checking the turn may be giving someone with the A/images/graemlins/spade.gif (or any /images/graemlins/spade.gif for that matter) a free 4th board /images/graemlins/spade.gif, which you REALLY don't want!

[MRBAA]

I don't think it's a bad play to check AK in early positon pre-flop, precisely because when you miss you can check and see what happens behind without screaming out what your hand is. I now often call in ep and only raise first in in MP with AK(o), saving my raises with this hand for last three positions. One effective tactic with this hand when you raise preflop, miss the flop, and are checked to on the flop is to check along. Then, if the turn helps you, great. If not, fold to a bet. But if checked to, that's the place to try and take it down with a bet.

[LetsRock]

The way I see this, is that no amount of help is going to beat a made flush and free/cheap cards may bring the 4-flush. I try convince the table that I have one (AKs).

[Joe Tall]

[MRBAA]

Absolutely. I'm not talking about this particular hand with my advice. I think a monotone board of which you have no part is very bad -- and people won't fold with an A, K or even J of spades in this one.

I'm saying that in general, just calling in EP with AK has some advantages. In this hand, he would have put in just one bet pre flop, not two, the pot would be smaller and he'd be able to check fold the bad flop. On the other hand, in late position your raise gives you more opportunities post flop to either fold to strong action in front of you, raise when you hit your hand, or bluff at the pot if no one else bets.