AK nightmares

[dfscott]

Got all these hands last night. All these table were very passive.

Hand 1

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif. MP2 posts a blind of $0.05.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 (poster) checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (12.40 SB) 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(6 players) </font>
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, <font color="CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls, CO calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (9.20 BB) 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(6 players) </font>
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, <font color="CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, Hero folds, CO calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds.

River: (13.20 BB) K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(4 players) </font>
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: 13.20 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 13.20 BB, between BB, UTG+1, MP2 and CO.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by BB (13.20 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
BB shows 4d 6c (three of a kind, sixes).
UTG+1 shows 7h Ah (two pair, sevens and sixes).
MP2 shows Js 9d (one pair, sixes).
CO shows 5d Kh (two pair, kings and sixes).
Outcome: BB wins 13.20 BB. </font>

Is this a raise or fold situation?

Hand 2

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO folds, Button folds, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players) </font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players) </font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">BB bets</font>, Hero folds, <font color="CC3333">SB raises</font>, BB calls.

River: (8.50 BB) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets $0.03 (All-In)</font>, BB folds.

Final Pot: 8.80 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 8.50 BB, won by SB.</font>
<font color="#990066">Pot 2: 0.30 BB, overbet by SB.</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
SB doesn't show.
Outcome: SB wins 8.80 BB. </font>

Not sure what to do here? Another fold or raise situation?

Hand 3

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, MP2 calls, CO calls.

Flop: (13 SB) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(6 players) </font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (6.50 BB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(6 players) </font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, BB folds, UTG folds, MP2 calls, CO folds.

River: (9.50 BB) J/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(3 players) </font>
SB checks, MP2 checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 9.50 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 9.50 BB, between MP2, Hero and SB.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by SB (9.50 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
SB shows Qs 6s (one pair, sixes).
MP2 shows 2h Kc (one pair, twos).
Hero shows Kd As (high card, ace).
Outcome: SB wins 9.50 BB. </font>

Can you tell I was getting a little frustrated here? Check the turn and save a bet or bet the flop?


Hand 4

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO folds, Button folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (12 SB) 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(6 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP3 calls.

Turn: (8.50 BB) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(5 players) </font>
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, <font color="CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, Hero calls, BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds.

River: (10.50 BB) Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 10.50 BB, won by MP3.</font>
<font color="#990066">Pot 2: 0.90 BB, overbet by MP3.</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
MP3 doesn't show.
Outcome: MP3 wins 11.40 BB. </font>

These last two hands I got at the same time while multi-tabling and nearly went on tilt chasing.

In general, what's the best way to play these missed flops on a passive table? Are they worth a bet post-flop if checked to me in order to try to get a free card (folding to a raise) or should I just check/fold?

[citizenkn]

Much of this is position. If you are in late position and someone bets before you, then this is a good opportunity to raise the flop and try to get a free card on the turn.

In early position with just one or two other players, you can often bet out to try and take the pot. I'll sometimes bet out on the turn as well if the board full of uncoordinated rags and I think I can force other overcards to fold.

In early position with many players in the pot I prefer to check and call the flop, but only if my A-K outs are clean and I have some kind of backdoor flush or straight draw. Unless the pot is very large I will fold on the turn if my hand doesn't improve.

[LeftBack]

AKo-ATo are the hands I love to hate. I have 170 of these hands in Poker Tracker. I've won 20%, but I've lost 30BB total. Maybe it's just me, but I think these hands cause more problems than any others. In loose, passive, micro-limit games, I think they're almost unplayable.

Lee Jones says "Expert players are able to make some money with two overcards, but you are not giving up much by dropping them, unless you have other possibilities".

Lee again: "Fold and be done with it".

I totally agree. I think AXo is a death of a thousand calls. Playing at Party, I want straight and flush draw possibilities, neither of which are very real with AKo-ATo. The possibility of a flush is small, and single-ended, multi-gap straights are low percentage. So what's left for this hand? Trips mostly. Occassionally, two pairs.

Q:How often do you win a hand with just one of your hole cards?

Q:If you share your hole cards with everyone else at the table who keeps any Ace or King, what advantage do you have?

AXs is a real hand, AXo is a trap, IMO.