Two AK hands - what would you do?

Hand 1 - Final table small home tournament - 7 players left i have chip lead, top 5 players paid, (45%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 5%). Blinds relatively small due to mass carnage.


In small blind with AcKc - first 3 fold, there is a limp, then a raise from the button, I call, and limper calls.


Flop is QcJcTd - giving me broadway and redraw in clubs. The limper bets $3,000(about 1.5 times the pot), the button raises $15,000, and i think. I am sure that the button has AK, but think that the limper probably has a set or possibly 2 pair.


I decide i want to shut him out of the pot and freeroll against the button, so i push allin for $120,000.


What would you do? Would you have reraised preflop?


Hand 2- Same table heads up (i have 340,000 to 160,000 lead) blinds are 5,000/10,000. I have AdKd in the SBB. I raise it to $25,000 and he calls.


Flop is Kc6d5d. He bets $30,000 and i push allin with top pair top kicker, and the nut flush draw.


Again what is your play here? Should i have bet more preflop?

1) I would re-raise before the flop. I want it either headsup or win with no flop. On the flop I would make it 50k. You are about a 2-1 favorite against another AK or a set. On the turn I would plan to go all-in.


2)Before the flop I might make it 30k or 35k. On the flop there is 80k in the pot. He has 105k left. Going all-in is a reasonable play but if you want him to call make it 80k to go.


Ken Poklitar

Results were that in the first hand I was against AK and QJ. The QJ did fold to my allin move as hoped and the AK called. I made my flush on the turn, so delaying a raise here probably would not have worked. No Q or J hit the river, so i would have won either way, however moving in on the flop earnt me some extra chips.


Hand 2 i was called and the player called quickly with 5c6c. The Ace of hearts hit the turn though and he was dead to the 4 remaining 5s and 6s, neither of which came in. Interestingly this was one of those situations where the "best hand" is a dog to win the pot. His two pair loses to 3 Aces, 2 Kings, 9 Diamonds, or a running pair.

The real question on the 1st hand is who will call your all-in bet. My guess is only AK or a set will call your huge bet. It is possible by betting less that you may get someone else to call.


Glad they both worked out.


Ken Poklitar