AKo in EP. When Plan A fails.. What is play B? (OR C?)

[bellzz]

Hello all,

I come across this situation enogh times that I am curious about what other people do in these situations.

We all love our loose 1GBP/2GBP $2/$4 and $3/$6 tables. And, we all love AKo. We all hate when the flop is rags. And, we all love to hit our A or K on the flop.

OK so we have AKo in EP and raise. And, typically we have people who want to donate some money lets say somewheres between 3 and 5. 1 or 2 of which are the blinds. And lets also say for simplicitys sake that our AK's suits don't match any of these flops.

Flop #1:
A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

OK. Plan A , I think I want to c/r this one and then the guy immediately to my left bets and everyone calls or maybe we lose 1. What is Plan B . Call, and see how dangerous the turn card is? Or raise because you most likely hold the best hand here?

Flop #2:

K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]:

OK. Plan A, I think I will just bet out. A couple of callers. Then there is a raise from most likely a flush draw from LP. Maybe KQs. So I reraise and the LP guy caps.

Turn is lets say a J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I bet and some folds and LP raises. Is Plan A to reraise or do you then go to plan B and call down?

Or maybe Plan C and call the flop raise and go for the c/r on the Turn if there is no [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]?

Flop #3:

A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Plan A. I bet? I have a good hand with 4 outs to the other A's and K's. ok .. it get's raised and reraised behind you. Plan A go in to calldown mode after you either call the 3-bet or cap it yourself since you know it will be capped by the first raiser. or .. Plan B and continue playing it as if there wasn't a made flush out there already and may QTo or JTo are out there waiting for the last [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Or Plan C? FOLD? maybe.
Ok, maybe this situation doesn't happen THAT often but..


ah well.. thoughts appreciated.


Thanx,

Bellzz

[Harv72b]

I'll give this a shot, if for no other reason than to see how my answers compare to some of the real experts on here.

[ QUOTE ]
Flop #1:
A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

OK. Plan A , I think I want to c/r this one and then the guy immediately to my left bets and everyone calls or maybe we lose 1. What is Plan B . Call, and see how dangerous the turn card is? Or raise because you most likely hold the best hand here?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd bet out here. If you check you run the risk of it getting checked through because the one guy who actually does have the ace thinks you're setting a trap, and then you're giving everyone with the flush and/or straight draw a free card. Charge 'em for it, and expect a raise from someone who's either on the flush draw or who paired the A & wants to see if maybe you're on KK or QQ or whatever. 3-bet it when/if it gets raised.

[ QUOTE ]
Flop #2:

K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]:

OK. Plan A, I think I will just bet out. A couple of callers. Then there is a raise from most likely a flush draw from LP. Maybe KQs. So I reraise and the LP guy caps.

Turn is lets say a J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I bet and some folds and LP raises. Is Plan A to reraise or do you then go to plan B and call down?

Or maybe Plan C and call the flop raise and go for the c/r on the Turn if there is no [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]?

[/ QUOTE ]

Again, I like betting out here. With this flop, not only do you have the flush draw (who will call or raise no matter what you do, so you might as well get him to pay more money towards the 75% of the time he doesn't catch the final heart); especially on the tables I've seen on party, you also may be up against a straight draw. Either way, I want them to pay for the priviledge of drawing out on me.

If I get raised again on the blank turn, then unless I know the player will repeatedly raise with a draw or with any top pair, I go into check/call mode on the assumption that he either flopped two pair or (more likely) a set. If I know the other player is very tight and rarely raises (let alone caps) without a huge hand, I probably fold.

[ QUOTE ]
Flop #3:

A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Plan A. I bet? I have a good hand with 4 outs to the other A's and K's. ok .. it get's raised and reraised behind you. Plan A go in to calldown mode after you either call the 3-bet or cap it yourself since you know it will be capped by the first raiser. or .. Plan B and continue playing it as if there wasn't a made flush out there already and may QTo or JTo are out there waiting for the last [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Or Plan C? FOLD? maybe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Definitely bet here. With both the ace & the king of diamonds on the board, this greatly diminishes the chances that you're up against a made flush--nearly everyone plays AXs, and a lot of people play KXs, but Q & lower suiteds are less frequent. You probably will get raised by someone who made top pair & wants to know if you (or anyone else) hit the flush, and you may or may not get 3bet by an actual flush (if I actually flopped the flush there & it came to me as 2 small bets, I'd call & hope to keep a few more ppl in the hand). Either way, like you said, you've got 4 outs to the FH even if someone did flop the flush. I fold if another diamond comes & I'm raised again, though.

[MCS]

Flop 1: If you can checkraise the field, that's great. Your equity is huge; you shouldn't be upset with a lot of people calling.

Flop 2: I would suspect LP has a pretty big hand and start thinking I may be behind here. I would check the turn and probably raise if LP bets because I want to knock out anybody with a lower pair, but I wouldn't be thrilled.

Flop 3: I sure as hell don't fold. I bet out and raise if it's raised by LP. They are more likely to have an A than a flush. I then check-call all the way if I don't hit the boat, because I am soft.