AKo on the bubble

[togilvie]

Here's a hand I recently played that I thought was interesting:

I'm in a $30-multi on Ultimate Bet. There are 11 players left, and 10 are paid. The big money goes to the top 3, and that's my primary objective.

My stack is approx T6500, and my principle opponent in this hand has me covered, but not by much. I'm in good shape relatively speaking and could easily just limp into the money. We're 5 handed and the other table is 6-handed.

I'm dealt AKo in the BB. The blinds are 150-300 and the antes are 50. The button makes a min raise to 600. I call from the BB. I didn't raise, as I was trying to keep my variance low by seeing the cheap flop with AK, since we were so close to the money and my stack was in reasonable shape.

The flop comes Ac Kc Td.

I bet the pot (roughly 2K), leaving me with a stack of T4K. My opponent moves all-in. I called.

Thoughts/comments?

[cferejohn]

I'd probably push preflop, personally, but I think calling is a perfectly fine play. I tend to make tournament poker a preflop game sooner than others do; making flop mistakes makes my ass hurt.

On that flop, I'm looking to get all-in, but I really don't want to give a free card. If I'm behind to a straight or a set, well, that's just bad luck really, and I still have a few outs unless the set was aces.

In short, I think you played the flop just great and got the result you wanted. I don't see any way you lay down top two on a five handed table at this blind level.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

[ QUOTE ]
My stack is approx T6500, and my principle opponent in this hand has me covered, but not by much. I'm in good shape relatively speaking and could easily just limp into the money. We're 5 handed and the other table is 6-handed.

I'm dealt AKo in the BB. The blinds are 150-300 and the antes are 50. The button makes a min raise to 600. I call from the BB. I didn't raise, as I was trying to keep my variance low by seeing the cheap flop with AK, since we were so close to the money and my stack was in reasonable shape.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I think your variance might be lower by moving all-in here. Since he'll fold probably 80%+ of the time, your variance is essentially zero all of those times. When you just flat call, you and he might both flop something, and then you get lots of variance.

[ QUOTE ]
The flop comes Ac Kc Td.

I bet the pot (roughly 2K), leaving me with a stack of T4K. My opponent moves all-in. I called.

Thoughts/comments?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd never fold here. Not unless my opponent had a huge and reliable physical tell.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Surfbullet]

That's a solid flop for AK... Top 2 pair is pretty much the best you can hope for, so I think the allin was a good play, despite the possibility of a made straight.

With that said, I'm nervous about him having TT, but if he hit his set there this is one of those hands that can't really be helped.

I'm interested to see how it turned out...

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I am OK with your preflop play. When you're pretty sure your opponent will not fold to an all-in reraise, and you're on the bubble, flat calling is fine. See if you like the flop before you tango with another big stack.

Since making the top $$ was your main priority, I have no problem with your getting involved here. But since it was the bubble, you knew you were playing with fire, even with a premium hand.

al

[SossMan]

[ QUOTE ]
When you're pretty sure your opponent will not fold to an all-in reraise, and you're on the bubble, flat calling is fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

How can you be sure of this? It's not like his opponent is committed to this pot...he only made a mini-raise, after all. I would have made a raise to about T2000, and gone all in on most flops if flat called preflop.
AK 5 handed is monsterous.

[togilvie]

He had flopped the nut straight and I went out on the bubble. Next!

Thanks for the responses. I agree that going broke on the flop was pretty much a foregone conclusion.

The comment about actually reducing my variance by moving in preflop is a good one, and one I'll give more thought to. Thanks Greg!

[BabyJesus]

I think i would have personally raised it to about T2400. You don't want to have a crappy flop and have to give up pot to trash hand. I don't see why people are so concerned about it being the bubble. If anything bubble means good players are stealing blinds more. Bubble is a great time to steal blinds. People are playing too tight trying to last into money. Your goal should be to win tournament IMO.

[Chief911]

Maybe I'm the only one who might say fold and hold on to get into the money. But if your goal was top 3, then you dont have any other choice once you decided to play the hand.

You wouldn't think he had KK or AA with a minimum raise.

[woodguy]

togilvie,
I would want to go all in on the flop right away to discourage the flush and straight draws. If your opponent flopped the straight, or high set, you are done because you have to bet this flop big. (unless you draw out)
It looks like he's on a steal and representing your hand to you!!
I couldn't get my $$ in the middle fast enough.
Regards,
woodguy

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

You wouldn't think he had KK or AA with a minimum raise.

With a good number of players, that's precisely what a minimum raise would mean.

[Chief911]

With a flush draw on the board, you think someone who just flopped a set would minimum bet? I'll admit I'm still learning, but I haven't seen much of this. Something I'll keep my eyes out for though.

Chief911