$11's AK level 1

Dr_Jeckyl_00 · #1 07-07-2005, 04:37 PM

How would you all have played this hand? I am just rebounding from some losing sessions and was wondering if I was too passive on this hand...

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter

CO (t760)
Button (t650)
Hero (t980)
BB (t445)
UTG (t800)
UTG+1 (t1035)
UTG+2 (t800)
MP1 (t800)
MP2 (t800)
MP3 (t930)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
1 fold, UTG+1 calls t15, 1 fold, MP1 calls t15, 1 fold, MP3 raises to t85, 2 folds, Hero calls t75, 1 fold, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds.

Flop: (t215) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets t845 (All-In), Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1060

gildwulf · #2 07-07-2005, 04:40 PM

I don't even want to pretend I know how to play AK yet preflop...but the general consensus from this thread is that you need to push preflop. There is an important reasoning from Citanul and others that explains it much better than I could.

tshort · #3 07-07-2005, 04:44 PM

I reraise to about 160 preflop. If he pushes, fold. If he calls he probably has TT-JJ, AK (maybe even worse at $11s). Easy fold to the push on the flop.

tshort · #4 07-07-2005, 04:54 PM

Thinking about this more. I agree that playing this is very tricky. You could raise to about 200. Then push any flop.

If you push this, he will obviously call with AA/KK and you will be dominated. He will probably call with JJ, QQ, and maybe even lower pair, a situation I wouldn't want to be in when blinds are 15/10. There will be times he will call your push with AQ, AJ, and maybe AT. I don't think this happens enought to outweigh the races that are toss-ups or you are dominated.

gildwulf · #5 07-07-2005, 05:13 PM

This is the 11s. They will be instacalling with A6o.

DarrenX · #6 07-07-2005, 05:16 PM

If it was a weaker raise to say, 50, I would reraise to 150. At 85, I like the flat-call, and I'm check-folding this flop to an all-in as well... it's early, and you don't have a pair.

tshort · #7 07-07-2005, 05:45 PM

Lol. I guess I haven't played 11s for a while.

45suited · #8 07-07-2005, 10:46 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Thinking about this more. I agree that playing this is very tricky. You could raise to about 200. Then push any flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

This advice seems suicidal to me. First off, being an 11, your re-raise to 200 will be called. Pushing any flop just seems nuts at this point. You're not desperate, why make a desperation play?

OP began the hand with t980 on level one, the hand was raised after a limper to t85. To me, a push here just screams "AK" and being an 11, your AK will be called by lots of players with a PP of 8 or higher.

Your other options are to call and play the hand OOP after missing the flop 2/3 of the time or to fold.

Given all the factors in this hand (including that the OP is in fine chip position currently) I have no problem folding pre-flop here. I'm sure that I am in the minority on this one.