Idiot proof AK from EP (level 1 or 2)

[schwza]

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But if the pot is multi-way and unraised then I don't go apeshit if I hit top pair necessarily.

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that's what sucks about not raising. the value of AK comes from being in a spot where you can comfortably go apeshit if you flop a pair.

[AliasMrJones]

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i never limp there.

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[nWirb]

Vnh, must admit I rarely play AK like this, you have shown me the light.
Thank you sir ^_______^

[USGrant]

Follow up Q: what's with mini-raisers at Levels 1 & 2? do they have weird psyches, or are they just complete novices?

I'm a mini-raiser -- guilty as charged. I really need to stop that. I think it's a novice thing personally.

B.

[45suited]

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Follow up Q: what's with mini-raisers at Levels 1 & 2? do they have weird psyches, or are they just complete novices?

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They're just bad players. Say one or two people limp. Some guy with AJ or A8s in the CO will mini-raise (or put in a substantial raise) very often.

This is why if I have AK in EP in level 1, my standard play is to limp. If it doesn't get raised, I'm playing a small pot then. If it does, I'm coming over the top.

Contrast this to the standard play of raising with AK UTG on level one. You've given away the strength of your hand and even the biggest donks are likely folding hands that they would otherwise have raised with.

Then if you get callers, you're stuck playing your hand OOP. Often if an A or K hits, you're not getting any more chips from them anyway (except against AQ-AT).

This way, you get a nice overlay from the hands that you dominate and you completely negate your positional disadvantage. If nobody raises, you play a small pot for 15 chips most likely. But you haven't spewed tons of chips early with AK like many other players do.

Also, I think that this line is much more powerful and scares away many low to mid PPs that I would like to see fold.

[alexd231232]

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Follow up Q: what's with mini-raisers at Levels 1 & 2? do they have weird psyches, or are they just complete novices?

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They're just bad players. Say one or two people limp. Some guy with AJ or A8s in the CO will mini-raise (or put in a substantial raise) very often.

This is why if I have AK in EP in level 1, my standard play is to limp. If it doesn't get raised, I'm playing a small pot then. If it does, I'm coming over the top.

Contrast this to the standard play of raising with AK UTG on level one. You've given away the strength of your hand and even the biggest donks are likely folding hands that they would otherwise have raised with.


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The problem i have with this though is that by not raising, you are letting hands like 67s beat you because you let them limp in as well as letting QJ, for examle, raise it u and draw you out on the river. Sure you most likely have the advantage against most hands, but without the raise, you're lettng them come in with anything and since at these low levels and low buy ins there will be alot of donks who will go to the flop with you with things like j8s and 54s because SUITED CONNECTORS RULE, it just seems to lse the edge that AK so often has...what do you think??

[45suited]

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The problem i have with this though is that by not raising, you are letting hands like 67s beat you because you let them limp in as well as letting QJ, for examle, raise it u and draw you out on the river. Sure you most likely have the advantage against most hands, but without the raise, you're lettng them come in with anything and since at these low levels and low buy ins there will be alot of donks who will go to the flop with you with things like j8s and 54s because SUITED CONNECTORS RULE, it just seems to lse the edge that AK so often has...what do you think??

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Well, if the pot goes unraised and multi-way, I will play a small pot. Not a big deal. But as in the game from the posted hand, often there are mini-raises after an EP limper so I'm able to re-raise.

But to answer your quesion, if the pot is 6 handed and unraised, I'm not going broke even if I flop top pair.

[Uppercut]

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Follow up Q: what's with mini-raisers at Levels 1 & 2? do they have weird psyches, or are they just complete novices?

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What blows me away are the donks who mini-raise from the blinds with ATo and QJo, thus assuring themselves that they will be playing a dominated hand in a raised pot OOP.

[camo1131]

What happends if faced with a larger raise behind, like 150-200? Do you call and play OOP or push?

Im guessing push?