AQs 20-40

[mike l.]

"Would you not re-raise with AK for the same reasons?"

w/ AKo i would 3 bet every time because i want as few people in as possible against my big unsuited overcards. with AKs i would usually 3 bet, but calling sometimes is a reasonable option.

[andyfox]

"I had a premium drawing hand and wanted to just see the flop for the least amount of bets"

So if there had been no raise in front of you, you would have overlimped and not raised?

"by allowing myself to do this (rather than telling myself i must always raise raise raise) i free myself to make a clean and easy fold on the flop"

I don't get it. You can always fold on the flop. You make the correct decision based on the size of the pot, what you flopped or didn't flop, the action, your opponents, etc., i.e. the same things you always base your decision on. You don't have to always raise raise raise. I like to do it when I have position, can improve my position by raising, and there's a good chance I have the best hand.

[nykenny]

[ QUOTE ]
that's pretty fuzzy. the way i see, i had a premium drawing hand and wanted to just see the flop for the least amount of bets. by allowing myself to do this (rather than telling myself i must always raise raise raise) i free myself to make a clean and easy fold on the flop and smile and order a coffee and move onto the next excellent starting hand i come across. so for me, not 3 betting sometimes here is critical implied odds stuff.


[/ QUOTE ]
agree. always re-raising with AKo is not a good play or habbit. with many people in, it's important to leave control to someone else so you can hopefully get in a raise on the flop or turn to thin the field when you hit. if you take control before the flop, and people happen to like to "check to the raiser", then good luck on thinning the field on a board of KJ9 2 tone..., turn Duece, but the river T! and 4 people still in, one bets, and one call... doh.!

[Tommy Angelo]

"I mean the Flop could come J-rag-rag and there could bet a bet and a raise in front of you, in which case you'd be gald you didnt 3 bet pre-Flop."

Or those same opponents might check to the three-bettor, because he threebet, and let him see the turn for free, where he picks up top pair or a backdoor flush draw.

Tommy

[Tommy Angelo]

"by allowing myself to do this (rather than telling myself i must always raise raise raise) i free myself to make a clean and easy fold on the flop and smile and order a coffee and move onto the next excellent starting hand i come across."

Mike, you are just this close to perfection in this situation in my opinion. Go ahead and threebet. You know it's right. But be not afraid of afterflop overentanglement. Threebet it before the flop -- make dead money, stake your position, get the checkers to check -- and still be ready to release and smile and wait some more.


Tommy

[nykenny]

before the flop...

maybe mike should have just taken a look at his opponent on his left (button) and if he was folding anyway, then go ahead and call...

[Gabe]

Three betting before the flop and folding to a single flop bet is a strong play. Bad players don't make it. A great player knows exactly when and where the fine line is.

[Brian]

Hi Tommy,

I think you missed my sarcasm... I would 3 bet here every time, and found mike's reasons for not doing so faulty.
-Brian