Play of AKo in Hold 'em?

[udontknowmickey]

First post ever guys! Don't go easy though, i want to improve my game.


On a 10 handed table at .10-.25 no limit

Preflop:
I get two limpers to me with AKo. I decide to raise the pot to limit the field down and get three callers, one whom currently had the largest money stack but from what i gathered was very loose and just got lucky, two unknowns (I had just joined the table 2-3 hands ago)

Flop (board: Ts 8d Jd):

After seeing this flop, I figured that not many hands that would call my preflop raise would have an improved hand (I was thinking pairs and maybe QTo possibly for them) so I decided to bet $5 (pot) to see if i could just take the pot.

I was called by the loose guy and the turn came up nothing.

Turn (board: Ts 8d Jd 6h):

I figured since I was already broadcasting a strong hand, I wouldn't want to bet a huge bet (because then he'd think i was bluffing and would call) but to make a modest one, one that tries to get him to call (... some sort of reverse psycology thing...and yes I know I spelled that wrong.) Lucky for me I guess he folded, leaving me with a nice 15 dollar pot.

Now the 2 cent question is how I should have played that, or if i should have been playing it at all. Suggestions/comments welcome.

[lorinda]

It is not my policy to make many strategy posts, but as you asked nicely and have no other replies, I'll have a go.

First post ever guys! Don't go easy though, i want to improve my game.


On a 10 handed table at .10-.25 no limit

Preflop:
I get two limpers to me with AKo. I decide to raise the pot to limit the field down and get three callers, one whom currently had the largest money stack but from what i gathered was very loose and just got lucky, two unknowns (I had just joined the table 2-3 hands ago)

Flop (board: Ts 8d Jd):

After seeing this flop, I figured that not many hands that would call my preflop raise would have an improved hand (I was thinking pairs and maybe QTo possibly for them) so I decided to bet $5 (pot) to see if i could just take the pot.

My reasoning here is very different, this is a good flop for your opponents, it includes two diamonds, two cards of ten or greater and, in fact any two cards over 9 in their hand now gives them a straight draw of some kind or at least a pair, probably also with a straight draw.

Now the question is, can you take it down, well, there are only two opponents, you have three outs to the stone cold nuts and also 7 other probable winning outs, might get messy if you hit an ace or a king, but if you fail to connect on the turn you will probably get two cards for one bet here.

I probably shut my eyes and do what you did, please note though, the reasons are very different, I don't think I am in front, I do however think they will be more scared of me than I am of them.

Hands people play that have hit this flop : A9 KQ JT QJ Axdd 99 88 TT JJ AJ AT AQ(kind of) and probably one or two others that I have missed.


I was called by the loose guy and the turn came up nothing.

Turn (board: Ts 8d Jd 6h):

I figured since I was already broadcasting a strong hand, I wouldn't want to bet a huge bet (because then he'd think i was bluffing and would call) but to make a modest one, one that tries to get him to call (... some sort of reverse psycology thing...and yes I know I spelled that wrong.) Lucky for me I guess he folded, leaving me with a nice 15 dollar pot.


After he has called once, especially as he is loose, you have to figure that either he is drawing, in which case will call again, or that he has a hand that he is willing to call with, in which case he will call again.
Personally, I check and take the free card.

Now the 2 cent question is how I should have played that, or if i should have been playing it at all. Suggestions/comments welcome.


I don't think you played this particuarly badly, and you are certainly thinking about the game.

A lot of no limit play is experience, the bookmongers lay into me on a regular basis in the low limit games I play as I play a very odd strategy (My flop% is in the mid 40s), they still manage to donate me reasonable sums of cash though, so I guess they need better books, or to read them!

What I am trying to say is that even though I don't agree with your reasons, the very fact that you HAVE reasons is often enough to put you head and shoulders above your opponents in low limit nl.

Good Luck

Lori

[Zag]

I agree with Lorinda that the fact you are thinking this hard is a plus, even if I end up disagreeing with your conclusions. In general, I don't disagree, though I have a few more things for you to think about.

I figured since I was already broadcasting a strong hand, I wouldn't want to bet a huge bet (because then he'd think i was bluffing and would call) but to make a modest one, ...
This is a good thing to consider, but don't overdo the reverse psychology, especially in these tiny games. Too many of your opponents don't think that much.

Another thing you should think about is what you would do with the hand you are representing. If you had KK with this board, how big would you bet? Since you were new to the table, this is, perhaps, less important, but with people who might know you, this is an important consideration.

You also failed to mention stack sizes. This is critical in any NL decision. If your $5 bet on the turn would have put the other player all in, or nearly so, it is a very different situation than if he had $40 left in front of him. I like your turn bet a lot in the first case, and not much in the second.

Finally, from your description, it sounds like he had position on you, but I'm not sure. If you had position, he must have checked and called, which is very different from him calling after you.