AKs in semi-passive game

[sideyb]

The table was passive with occasionally 8 people limping and occasionally a prefop raise.

I am AK /images/graemlins/spade.gif in BB, EP1 calls, with 3 other callers. I raise, all call.

Flop comes 5 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/club.gif

I lead out, everyone calls. Turn comes Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif.

I bet, everyone calls. I semi-bluff because I have flush and straight draw.

River comes A /images/graemlins/club.gif.

Once again I bet w/ top pair and everyone folds except one caller who has two pair Queens and Sixes.

It like it when these people are playing Queen Sixes, but only if I am playing correctly. Too loose to bet on the flop with nothing except two overcards with this many people?

[Brian]

Hi sidey,

I think the only way I might have played it differently would be to check the Flop. You are definitely going to see a Turn card with this board because it is relatively uncoordinated and you have a backdoor Flush, so logically if you are going to check-call, then you are better of betting yourself, like you did. But, at an extremely passive game, you may be able to get a free card from the BB if you check, which would be great. Also, I don't really see the logic behind the conventional wisdom of betting is better than check-calling in this specific situation. Betting won't clean up your Ace and King outs by getting a hand like K5 or A6 to fold, and in a loose passive game, theres almost no chance you will pick it up on the Flop. However, even if only 20% of the time it will check through if you check, then there is definitely value in checking.

The rest of the hand is pretty self explanatory. I would bet the Turn as well, although it's not really a semi-bluff because I can guarantee you that you won't pick up the pot /images/graemlins/smile.gif Someone would surely bet if you checked here, so betting is better yourself, especially since you don't fear a raise from such a passive table. I would have bet the River as well.

Well-played, although there really wasnt much chance for error. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

-Brian

[Brian462]

I don't really think you have a significant chance of winning with a bet on the turn given that they all called the flop, but there is probably a decent chance that you will be raised. Because of that, I would have decided to check/call the turn.

Other than that, I would have played it identically.