HU w/AK

[me454555]

I used to think this was a very simple situation untill I recently gave it some thought.

Hero is in MP w/AK and raises, folded to BB who calls

Flop A22r

BB checks, Hero.....

Obviously I'm ahead most of the time but the question here is, what does villain have and how can I extract the greatest number of bets from him? If I bet the flop he's going to fold most hands which I am way ahead of with very little chance to catch up to me. So what do I do on the flop?

Lets say I check it and the turn comes down a blank. BB checks hero!?!?! Again, the easy answer is to just bet, but we are so far ahead again that villain will likely fold a dominated hand that has very little chance of being ahead. Do we check again and raise/bet any river?

Comments appreciated

[Catt]

You bet. Because you'll also be betting your 66, KJs, etc. often enough that a bet here doesn't mean "I have an A with TK and you can't possibly win." And because he'll call with his A8o or his 55 or his xx.

[kidcolin]

Agreed. Mixing it up now and again is good, but the majority of the time you bet. You'll get paid by weaker aces often enough, and the occasional PP, depending on the player. Plus, I'd rather take a smallish pot down here if it sets me up to fold out hands like 99-66 every time an ace flops.

[wackjob]

Don't get greedy. Bet every single time. Like the other guy said, you will also be betting with 10Js in the same spot. Not betting is dumb & greedy IMO & also gives INFINITE odds for a little PP or some runner runner to beat you.

[SnglMaltScotch]

If villian has any brain cells at all you have to bet. If you check he will know that you have a monster and will fold pretty easily on the turn. A bet can still get called very easily by 33-99, KQ. Ax might even 3-bet and you can let the fun begin.

[me454555]

I think you guys are all right and doing it for metagame purposes is definatly a factor in betting out.