AKo preflop after a raise and a call

se2schul · #1 02-19-2005, 06:25 PM

Party $22.
I find AKo fairly easy to play when the pot hasn't been raised. In this case, UTG min-raised and that was cold called. That represents significant strength. I wouldn't call that raise without JJ-AA, although at $22, I can see people doing it with such premium hands as KJo.

My initial reaction was that it was probably right to raise or fold, leaning towards folding after the raise was called. I don't have any good justification for calling, except that I was at a loss for the best play and I figured that I had good implied odds for a good flop.

I'm wondering not only about consideration at low buy-in ($11,$22, $33) SNGs, but also about how this situation would be handled at mid-higher buy-in SNGs ($55-$215)
Thoughts?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (8 handed) converter

MP1 (t910)
MP2 (t785)
CO (t1735)
Hero (t1360)
SB (t430)
BB (t865)
UTG (t560)
UTG+1 (t1355)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG raises to t100, UTG+1 calls t100, 3 folds, Hero calls t100, 1 fold, BB calls t50.

Flop: (t425) 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 bets t425, Hero folds, BB folds, UTG folds.

Final Pot: t850

boxedIn · #2 02-19-2005, 08:56 PM

Unless you, for sure, know that a UTG min raise is a sign of significant strength or that the call of the min raise represents significant strength (neither of which I would assume, by default), then you absolutely must reraise this preflop. People will make min raises all the time with weak aces or stuff like KJ and people will call min raises all the time with stuff like 67s or JTs. Considering those two facts, if you're not confident that the raise/call represent massive strength, you must play this stronger than you did. That includes reraising significantly preflop and following it up postflop (that depends on flop texture, but I think the flop you got was scary enough for a mid-PP and wouldn't hit hands likes KJ or QJ enough that you can bet it and win the pot the majority of the time).

Not playing this hand strongly is too weak, especially not playing it strongly preflop. You're giving too much credit to a min raise and too much credit to a call. You've got to remember that the majority of players are not playing as you're playing and you cannot ascribe to them the properties of your play.

se2schul · #3 02-19-2005, 10:04 PM

Uggh. I think you're right. I do have a tendency to play somewhat weak during the first 3 levels. Seeing as it was only a $22, the players could be minraising and cold calling with much worse than AKo. Would you have reraised even in a $55 or a $109?

ss

boxedIn · #4 02-20-2005, 03:07 AM

Yes. You cannot expect someone to turn over AA or KK every time they raise. If there's a raise, and a reraise in front of you, then we have a discussion ... other than that, no one has shown significant strength and you have a top 5 hand preflop. The only way a reraise preflop is wrong is if you know this person so well, know they would only min raise preflop with KK or AA. If you don't know them well enough to pin them down to those holdings, it is an absolute must to play this hard preflop.