(22) Am I missing something on how to play AK

[Slim Pickens]

equity (%) win (%) tie (%)
Hand 1: 56.6618 % 50.80% 05.86% { AKo }
Hand 2: 43.3382 % 37.48% 05.86% { 88+, ATs+, KJs+, AJo+, KQo }

equity (%) win (%) tie (%)
Hand 1: 55.1097 % 47.14% 07.97% { AKo }
Hand 2: 44.8903 % 36.92% 07.97% { TT+, AJs+, KQs, AQo+, KQo }

equity (%) win (%) tie (%)
Hand 1: 50.5027 % 40.79% 09.71% { AKo }
Hand 2: 49.4973 % 39.79% 09.71% { TT+, AQs+, KQs, AQo+ }

I'm liking the push even less now. There's some poker left to be played.

[zambonidrivr]

wrong

You barely have had time to get comfortable at the table, so I wouldnt put myself into a coinflip situation this early with a drawing hand. Sure, it may be the best drawing hand, but still not worth getting busted this early IMHO.

Early in sngs, I just dont like to get into coinflip situations. I like to try to find a better spot with a little more clarity. And, you are playing a 22, so you should be one of the better players at the table. So, i would recommend caution, not agression here.

I couldnt agree more with you here. I think most of these people responding to this thread are players in the higher buy in sngs. They may be forced to push these small edges earlier in sngs, but in the lower stakes ones, we should preserve our chips and wait for a better opportunity. We should be able to outplay most at the table, so why negate our edge with a coin flip this early.

[zambonidrivr]

I disagree. I think most of the people responding here are 10-20 players... as higher buy in players understand that level 1 with AK is not a place to take a flip, with that kind of preflop action. I'd rather push any 2 on the bubble than take a flip like this.

You are confusing me here...you agree with my statement, just not with my assumption about the buy ins of the people responding....at least thats what i hope because i agreed with the say you said you would play this and i would also rather push any 2 on the bubble than make this push here.

if the people responding to this are smaller stakes players, then i hope they sit at my table. i just dont understand why people play this hand this hard this early...this isnt a made hand, why risk everything this early on a drawing hand...just doesnt make sense to me.

[zambonidrivr]

alright, no i think i misread your post. i thought you were saying... at higher limits, you have to push this.

i could not agree with you more.

[pooh74]

[ QUOTE ]
wrong

[/ QUOTE ]

right

[pineapple888]

You guys crack me up.

To the coin-flip-assumers: either one of these players could have anything, early in the 22s. One of them with a pair is *worst* case, and even that's not so bad.

To the "I can outplay these suckers later" crowd: Just how many premium hands do you think you're getting in a shallow-stack, fast-structure SNG?

And to top it off, you've got the raiser comfortably covered in chips.

I auto-push this, and it's very, very easy.

[pooh74]

Alright, there seems to be a lot of disagreement here so I am going to give some reasons as to why I feel a push is best and calling is worst (unless you plan on moving in on any flop ala SnGo.)

1. you are ahead of Villain's range.

2. Villain is shortstacked early which often points to "donk" where he thinks A3s is a monster.

2a. Even an average range for villain may be widened here a bit if read from number "2" is reasonable.

3. Although close to none, you do have "some" fold equity...exactly how much I don't know.

4. I dont want to call this and fold to villain's flop all in when I whiff.

5. This stretches the definition of weak tight beyond what I feel comfortable with.

There is room for disagreement here and I certainly am not commenting from a place with much experience with Party SNGs. But th elevel and site I play on, these are valued early game situations because pushboting is not that much of an edge...especially when there are now typically 2-3 2ers plus other regulars at almost every table lately...its a race for the dead money sometimes.

If you all say the 11s at party are so easy late game, then I wil agree that this could be a fold...and I think I switch to party and pwn the 11s.