Novice AK in the BB (1-2 NLHE)

[jon_1van]

So I've been playing small 5 or 10 dollar buyin NLHE Sit n' goes and doing decent. But this is the first time I started playing NLHE in a ring game that isn't micro limit.

I'm playing 1-2 no limit
I'm dealt AKo in the BB.
EP raise to 10. Folded around to cut off who calls. Both players have about 300, same as I do. So I decide to raise to 25 (15 more). I'm not expecting anyone to fold. Flop comes uncoordinated garbage. I bet out 25 or 30 dollars to take it down.

My reasoning for the raise preflop was to enable me to bet into a flop like this (or one that is A or K high) and have a decent chance to kill the pot right there. But I didn't want to raise a huge amount with AK because I didn't want to get involved an a big pot and only have AK.

My question is :: should I have raised more preflop to push out things like 88? Should I never make the "raise..but not enough to make anyone fold" move? On the way home I was thinking that the bet could have proved disastrous because it gave things like 88 a chance to spike pretty cheap. But it also gave me a good chance to take down a pot when no flops anything. I couldn't decide which was the more important factor. What do you think?

[punkass]

I guess the question here is, "What do you want your opponents to do regarding your raise?"

If you wanted to win the pot preflop, you agree that it wasn't enough of a raise.

So your opponents aren't going to fold. Most likely, if they don't have a hand they love, they will call. This is the case that you wanted. In this scenario, your AK is most likely winning, unless they have a low-mid pocket pair.

IF they have a hand they love (regardless of whether it is a good hand or not), then they may reraise. Your $15 raise doesn't really show much strength, and a decent raise to $75 is a raise you probably can't call.

Side note: To an advanced player, your small reraise screams AK. Would you do this if you had KK?

[amoeba]

do you guys really think the preflop raise was too low?

blinds are 1-2. so villain raises to 5xBB. and you reraise to 12.5xBB.

Is this really too low?

[tdomeski]

PF: I'd most likely just call as you want to keep this pot small. .If you are going to raise I'd say make it $30 to go. .that gives you a wider range of hands and doesn't pin point you on AK.

Flop: Bet at least 1/2 pot, if called or raised give up the hand. WARNING: if called don't get deep if an A or K turns. .someone most likely has a set.

Generally AK is very difficult to play from the blinds. I'd normally take the flop for the initial raise and play it out after that, generally c/r any Ace flop.

[cornell2005]

in a low/mid limit nl game with 10 players, youd probalby be better off just calling his raise. you say you want to reraise for value, but that usually shouldnt be the case for AKo in a full game.

[punkass]

The reraise was low. He raises to 10. When our guy's minimum raise is 20, a raise to 25 is low.

[GimmeDaWatch]

Ya, Im just calling this raise from the Blinds with AK. Playing AK out of position blows, and if you miss the flop and get called youre helpless and can be pushed out of the pot even if youre opponent only has a draw. If you call, you can hope to flop and Ace and ideally trap a smaller ace, and if not get away cheaply.

[jon_1van]

I agree the raise is small. The pot already has 46 (25 +10 + 10 + 1) in it when the EP bettor has to call 15 more..so he is getting pretty good odds. And the cutoff will get even better odds.

[jon_1van]

tdomeski,
I like the PF advice. You, punkass, and I all agree the the 15 dollar raise was a pretty crappy decision. Upon further review a slightly larger raise (5 or 10 dollars more) would have made my "I have a pocket pair" signal much more credible.

The call while planning to c/r Ace Flops seems like a pretty decent line as well.

[jon_1van]

[ QUOTE ]
if you miss the flop and get called youre helpless

[/ QUOTE ]

I was trying to avoid this problem by raising and thus hopefully reducing the chances that my opponents will call. But I should have made a larger raise to better represent a pocket pair or just called.