Fun with AK

[brizzypare]

$30 sng

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

UTG+1 (t755)
UTG+2 (t670)
MP1 (t800)
MP2 (t730)
MP3 (t1030)
CO (t770)
Button (t775)
SB (t575)
Hero (t1095)
UTG (t800)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls t15, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises to t30</font>, UTG+2 calls t30, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, SB calls t20, Hero ????

[curtains]

My standard move is to just call here.

[SNOWBALL138]

The size of the pot:
If the pot was bigger, pushing would be a fair option, because even if you knew for sure that you were a dog to the UTG raiser, you would have pot equity+ fold equity to compensate for that. Here. The pot isn't large enough to move in on.


The raiser:
A few things to consider with this hand. The raiser is UTG, and he made a mini raise. Many people do this with AA, KK.
Also, He might have JJ, QQ here, but that is a bit less likely. In any event, I think that the raiser won't fold to a re-raise. Also, if he doesn't fold to a re-raise you are out of position with him, and maybe others drawing against you.

The callers: You have a lot of callers here, and most of them probably have drawing hands, like suited semi connectors, or smack pocket pairs.

I think this might be a situation where it could be correct to play your hand slowly. AK is good in a lot of situations, but this isn't necessarily one of them. Go ahead and just call. This way, you'll know

1. if there is a straight of flush out against you

2. If you can C/R the whole lot of callers with tptk, after UTG leads at the flop. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]


I think in this spot, seeing the flop is your best play.
Eliminating the callers here might cause a costly war with UTG raiser in which you only have a small edge.

[Iconoclastic]

It's early. Not a good time to be aggressive.

[citanul]

mine too.

a raise wouldn't be out of the question though. i think this is going to vary a bit by buyin level, and what you can expect of your opponents. at the lower level sngs, i'd be more inclined to pop it up to 125 or so.

citanul