AKo Heads Up. What is standard?

[TTChamp]

Absolute 2/4 Heads Up

1st hand so villian is totally unknown.

Hero is SB (button) with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Pre flop: Hero Raises, BB calls.

Flop(Pot=4 SB)
J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
BB bets, Hero Raises, BB calls

Turn (Pot=4 BB)
7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls

River(Pot=6 BB)
8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
BB checks, Hero checks

My main question is about my response to the flop donk. My normal response here is very player specific, but I felt like I should raise in this case because of the possibility he was betting a flush draw. If the flop came: J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] I might just call and fold the turn, or raise the flop and check the turn and fold the river. My logic is that he is not donking on a drawless board unless he has a pair and most opponents at my limit won't fold any pair HU.

What is the standard flop play here against an unknown?

[TTChamp]

No wonder no one posts HU hands.

Any comments at all?

[jrbick]

I think it looks pretty good. His hand range is obviously wide open and you've got enough equity in this hand considering that villain might not have a made hand quite yet. Getting to SD is a great idea. I'm not really crazy about folding AK HU like, ever, so betting the T IMO is a good plan. If you check the T and he bets the R, I'm pretty sure that you've got to fold. Some might think that that's a good idea and maybe it is, I don't really know. There are more expert HU players in here than mysel... wait, I'm easily not an expert. Take my advice w/ a grain of salt.

[jba]

in my experience HU is very player dependant. The fact that you have zero reads makes this a tough nut to crack, and is probably why you're not getting a lot of replies.

In a sh game, if I raise in a steal position and my opponent comes out donking on this board I am usually folding and sometimes peeling the flop folding turn UI, but almost never raising unless I know something about my opponent. Remember AK is great but if you don't flop it and your opponent has a pair AK is nothing but a very weak drawing hand. It is so difficult to play well because it is often best UI, the trick is figuring out when it's best and when it isn't (i will PM you when I figure this out).

in a heads up match against an unknown I would probably call down. If through further play you suspect a draw is more likely, I would mix it up between your line and waiting for the turn to raise.

edit: mixed up HU action


addendum: there is a great pdf on the web somewhere by some dude named jason (?) about playing overcards SH, can someone link it?

[brazilio]

google jason pohl, he's got about 20 excellent pokerpages articles. I'm guessing that's who you're talking about, because he's a sh masta.

[tansoku]

I like the flop raise, you could win it right there, and you do have outs.
Since he's unkown, I really want to show this down early on to get a read. So I chk behind the turn and call a river bet UI.
You have some showdown value.
A pair or stronger will never fold to that turn bet.
A check on the turn by you might induce a bluff on the river by busted draws and weaker Ax hands.

[Stealthy]

This is the link to Jason Pohl's shorthanded PDF.

http://vindikation.com/poker/shorthanded.pdf

[brazilio]

[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

[jrbick]

this thread needs to be deleted.

[Alex/Mugaaz]

[ QUOTE ]
This is the link to Jason Pohl's shorthanded PDF.

http://vindikation.com/poker/shorthanded.pdf

[/ QUOTE ]


You guys suck! Why hasnt this been linked before and more often. GAH. I could of used this so long ago.