AK first hand in the money

moose47 · #1 07-26-2005, 04:53 PM

I normally play low-limit holdem but the current Stars reload bonus has given me a reason to go back and give SNGs a try again. I have spent the last 4 days reading every post I could in this forum and I think it has done a lot of good so I just want to say thanks to all the fine contributors here. So today was my first tournament in quite sometime and I know that I butchered this hand badly....

Button played solid aggressive poker early on but had tightened up considerably as we approached the bubble. We played about 15 hands on the bubble and I only remember him raising once preflop. Of course since the bubble burst he may have reverted to aggressive mode again for all I know. On to the hand...

Buy-In: $5 + 0.50

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (3 handed) converter

Button (t5575)
Hero (t2820)
BB (t5105)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
Button calls t150, Hero raises to t600, 1 fold, Button calls t450.

Flop: (t1350) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero ??

This appears to be very good flop for me. Nothing suited, no obvious straight possibilities and just one high card. I'm thinking my hand is probably good here. So what should be my plan of attack? The pot is 1350 and I have more than 2200 remaining.

Do I bet a decent size like 800-900? Make a pot-size bet leaving myself with just 800 chips? Or push it all in now?

If I choose the first option then I have some room to manuever if my opponent comes over the top of me. If I bet the pot then I am pot-committing myself and I am almost forced to call a re-raise so I don't think that can be correct. If I push all-in I probably win the pot right there but if I get called I am dead to 6 outs at best. No one option is jumping out at me so I come here for help.