AKs - NL tourny - call or fold?

Midway through, blinds 300-600, I have 4800. All fold to me in mid position and I find Ac Kc. I raise 1800. Folded to the button who has about 6000. He reraises allin. Agressive, loose player who definitely does not have to have AA,KK to make this play. I call allin. Turns over TT. No improvement and I am out.


Question: better to fold in this situation and go for survival assuming that the best scenario is probably a 50/50 rundown?


What about the play of AK in general. I am beginning to think that in the early/mid stages of a tourny better to limp and see what develops rather than come in with an initial raise. What do posters think of that general strategy? Only in the late stages start to play AK/AQ aggressively?

If you're confident of your read that he doesn't have you dominated with AA or KK, then I think your play on this hand is fine. Against 10,10 your hand is still only a slight dog, better than 45-55. Against any 2 random hands, you are probably a favorite.


Everything I guess depends on your goals. If you're playing to win you must get into these heads up (which is really what you want with your hand) confrontations and win them. You COULD raise more preflop and pick up the blinds but you leave yourself open to losing much more when the tight rock goes all-in with his AA and then you can't get away from the hand. I don't like the play of limping with AKs unless 4-5 have already limped ahead of me and I think my raise won't get me heads up or 3 way at worst. This usually only happens early in an event.


The key is always to read players well. You knew that this player was capable of making this play with less than the nutz, you gotta play it. But if this is against someone you just know wouldn't reraise all-in without AA (we all see these rocks when we play) then you muck and try to survive.


Keep playing hard!

I would call the all-in raise. If you fold you have only 3000 left which is a small stack. Although it is likely he has a pair he could have AK or AQ.


I never limp with AK. I normally raise or re-raise. From the blinds I may just call depending how many players. AQ is trickier. I normally raise although I muck them on occasion.


Ken Poklitar