Early level hand- Wreckless?

[NegativeEV]

Party $50+5, 8 players left, blinds 25/50

SB T800
BB T1000
UTG T2200
Hero T2300

UTG raises T250, folded to Hero who is on the button with A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Hero raises all in to T2300.

UTG was generally aggressive and had open raised 4xBB several times from early and middle position, but I don't recall him ever calling a raise preflop.

I think I've historically missed opportunities to increase my stack early in the tourney by being too weak/tight and am trying to expand my game. Is this a good opportunity? I don't want to call here as I'm confident that UTG will bet out virtually any flop and I'd rather not face a tough decision then if I cant take the pot down now- good/bad?

[NegativeEV]

You can't all like this play... maybe you all hate it? Is this standard? Bump.

[RobGW]

What hands would UTG raise with? You want to keep him in if he has AQ, AJ, AT, KQ, KJ, etc as you have all these dominated. Your all in would presumably make these hands fold but you would get called by AA, KK where you are the one in a world of hurt or QQ, JJ, etc where it is a coin flip that you would get busted.

[NegativeEV]

[ QUOTE ]
What hands would UTG raise with? You want to keep him in if he has AQ, AJ, AT, KQ, KJ, etc as you have all these dominated. Your all in would presumably make these hands fold but you would get called by AA, KK where you are the one in a world of hurt or QQ, JJ, etc where it is a coin flip that you would get busted.

[/ QUOTE ]

What is your play here then? If you call, what is your plan when the flop misses you and the UTG player bets the pot (this is the most likely scenerio)?

[Patriarch]

I like big raises with AK pre-flop, but I do get scared when someone raises in front of me. Having said that, I would probably re-raise, but not all in. If I hit top pair on the flop (either A or K) I push.

[RobGW]

Going all in isn't a bad play, I just think its too early to take a big gamble for only $325. I don't like a reraise here either as you will probably get called and then have 1/4 of your stack in the pot. A call here may seem a little weak, but it is taking a chance at winning a big pot when your opponent thinks his AQ is good. If you miss and he bets out, let it go. You lose $250, no big deal. I am not advocating playing AK passively all the time, nor am I saying you played it poorly, I am just giving an alternative.

[poboys]

I like flat calling here, althought it's somewhat tricky to play if an A or K doesn't flop. If you feel his raise is enough to keep the SB and BB out, then I'd flat call. Reraising gives a lot of information about your hand to him. (Think of what your opponents tend to call YOUR raises with). You have position, chips, and a very solid hand. Let this guys aggresiveness pay you off.

[young nut]

In this situation I like to reraise about 2.5 what UTG raised to you, maybe just twice as much. If he pushes, then you can pretty well put him on a made hand. If he just calls, he will be more likely to check to you on the flop because your reraise made it looke like you had QQ-AA

[sofere]

I'd only call. 2 reasons: (a) its early and your large stack against another large stack...better to go from first to second than risk first to out on what is likely gonna be a coinflip, (b) You've got position on an aggressive player.

If an ace or king hits and he bets big he most likely doesn't have the set cause he'd probably slow play that, I'd push him all in. I'd be more worried if he bet small an ace or king flop. I'd raise any small bet, and probably fold to a push.

If ace-king doesn't hit, its not that hard of a fold to any big bet.