Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

Another problem with AK, Hand 1.

This will be a series of posts soliciting advice on how to play AK, it is my biggest loser and I need some help to fix this leak.

Villan is vLPP (50%+/3%/1.00/21%)

My 1st impression on this is that I played this as best I could..... well you'll see.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) converter

saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

UTG ($10.75)
UTG+1 ($54.6)
<font color="#C00000">MP1 :#A500AF(Villan)/ ($23.68)</font>
MP2 ($19.3)
MP3 ($21.1)
<font color="#C00000">Hero ($44.1)</font>
Button ($23.67)
SB ($89.1)
BB ($53.8)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.25.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 :#A500AF(Villan)/ calls $0.50, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $3</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP1 :#A500AF(Villan)/ calls $2.50.

Flop: ($6.75) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Villan bets $2</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $6</font>, Villan calls $4.

Turn: ($17.85) Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Villan checks, Hero checks.

River: ($17.85) 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Villan checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: $18.75

Results in white below: <font color="#FFFFFF">
Villan has Qh As (pair of queens).
Hero has Ks Ad (high card, ace).
Outcome: Villan wins $19.75. </font>

Any advice on a better line of play?

Thnaks in advance

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

Raise more on the flop (~$9-10) ... or fold

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

It really depends on what type of player you are up against here. You only have one player seeing the flop with you. This is good. If the player is loose at all, meaning his VPIP is above 20 % , just fold and move on. Don't try to get him off of his hand. I see that you are playing .25/.50 NL. I would just fold and move on here. I typically check flops with AK when I miss when playing .25/.50 NL and lower. I've found over the long run that I really lose money by betting out against these loose/calling stations. You'll find that too.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

It looks to me like you played this fine. You raised him looking to take the pot right there feeling that he might be weak, and maybe on a draw, I am really surprised that he did not fold this hand on the flop. Once he called your raise it seems like he has a piece of the flop and you can just let go of this easily.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

raise a lil more on flop.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

Edit: After looking at a couple of the posts in this thread, I have to agree with a larger flop raise. Someone said $8-10 and I agree. I probably pot it.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

You missed the flop. Fold to his bet.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

Huh? All he has is AK, there's a bet infront of him, and he could easily be reverse dominated by A-10. This is a fold six ways from Sunday. You'll find better spots to get your money in.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

Hero obviously could fold here, but I like the raise. Villain bet $2 into a $7-ish pot, that reeks of weakness to me. As others have mentioned, if you are going to raise, you have to raise enough so that villain would actually consider folding. Obviously if raise is called, heor will have to shut down unless he improves (barring an amazing read). A standard raise makes villain either fold or make a big error if he calls.

Re: Please help me fix my AK; Part 1
 

Although the guy is vLPP, hist showdown number is only 21%, (see last profile stat, sorry I didn't explain all the numbers in the profile stat list) so I figured I could get him off a weak hand. Apparently not, perhaps the $10 raise would make him fold 2 overcards, but given the play I don't think so.

As for folding, I guess even against the vL player I can see your point, however I go back to the averages and assume that the average "hit" on the flop is 33% and that I still have the best hand, which was correct this time.

It's interesting that the advice on the flop play is about 50/50 between big raise and folding.