Help w/ AK post flop

[Action Scott]

Just some opinions on how to play AK post flop when you don't hit. I play in a regular NLH'em tourney w/ about 15-20 people, most are loose aggressive or calling stations. I consider myself a decent player, but certainly not great. So here's the common scenario that comes up, we'll say it's early in the tourney, I get AK on the button, raise to 2x or 3x BB, get at least 2 callers. Flop comes rags, i.e.. 2-8-10. There's a bet and a call in front of me. I generally fold in this situation. Is this the right move? Did I not raise enought before the flop? or am I doing what I should? Problem is as i say, most of the other players are loose or calling stations, they could have anything at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, it's just a situation that i see fairly often w/ AK. Thanks.

[nolanfan34]

I think a bigger than 2x or 3x BB raise is warranted when there are already a couple of limpers. In a home tourney I play in, the blinds start at $1-$2, and in the example you described, if I have a couple of limpers to me with AK I probably raise to about $10.

Post flop, if there's a bet and a call to you, pot odds come into a play a bit. If you're getting the right price to draw to your 6 top-pair outs, then it's worth seeing the turn.

Different scenario, let's say it's checked to you on the flop. Online, I usually put in a slightly less than the pot sized bet, after raising PF. Live, against the guys in my tournament, I might make a slightly smaller bet. If I get callers, I'm done with the hand if I don't improve on the turn. There's just too many people I play with who will call with hands like bottom pair.

My buddies tease me sometimes for not being "aggressive" enough in these tournaments. But if you're playing against calling stations, trying to bluff them off the pot with your A-high is futile, not aggressive.