AKo - hand protection or not...

Akimka · #1 12-12-2005, 12:48 PM

Both of opponents have fine stats but...

MP3 is 18/4.5/1
Button is more agressive with his 21/12/2.7

What is more appropriate on this flop - straight bet or c/r and why?

Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero raises, 3 folds, MP3 3-bets, 1 fold, Button calls, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (10.40 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, MP3 folds, Button calls.

Turn: (8.70 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, Button folds.

Final Pot: 9.70 BB

MelchyBeau · #2 12-12-2005, 01:49 PM

I see nothing wrong here

toss · #3 12-12-2005, 02:33 PM

The thing I like about the flop check/3-bet is that it will sometimes get MP3 to lay down AK and at the same time Button raises with a lot of worse hands here. You can also lay down on the turn if MP3 caps instead of just calling down. If Button had called instead we can either checkraise or call and see the turn. I'd really want to checkraise with Button trapped in the middle. If MP3 3-bets our checkraise I think we can excercise a fold on the turn UI since we annouced we have a strong hand by checkraising with someone trapped in the middle. If Button had instead folded I'd take the WA/WB line (call, call, bet river).

On the other hand when you bet out MP3 will probably only raise better hands with the exception of AK. He may calldown with KK/QQ depending on how he plays those hands on this board. If we bet and get raised I won't be able to laydown just because villain is able to raise with AK here. If MP3 calls your flop lead, Button is likely to raise with plenty worse hands like a weaker Ace and a flush draw. At this point we can 3-bet and have MP3 either call with AK or fold if we're lucky.

It seems checking the flop will allow us to extract more bets from Button. If we bet out on the flop MP3 may raise and knock out the Button when he may have stayed in or even raise if we just checked and allow MP3 to make a continuation bet which he'll make a lot after 3-betting PF. So I like checking best here. I like the way you played this hand.

Akimka · #4 12-12-2005, 03:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The thing I like about the flop check/3-bet is that it will sometimes get MP3 to lay down AK and at the same time Button raises with a lot of worse hands here. You can also lay down on the turn if MP3 caps instead of just calling down. If Button had called instead we can either checkraise or call and see the turn. I'd really want to checkraise with Button trapped in the middle. If MP3 3-bets our checkraise I think we can excercise a fold on the turn UI since we annouced we have a strong hand by checkraising with someone trapped in the middle. If Button had instead folded I'd take the WA/WB line (call, call, bet river).

On the other hand when you bet out MP3 will probably only raise better hands with the exception of AK. He may calldown with KK/QQ depending on how he plays those hands on this board. If we bet and get raised I won't be able to laydown just because villain is able to raise with AK here. If MP3 calls your flop lead, Button is likely to raise with plenty worse hands like a weaker Ace and a flush draw. At this point we can 3-bet and have MP3 either call with AK or fold if we're lucky.

It seems checking the flop will allow us to extract more bets from Button. If we bet out on the flop MP3 may raise and knock out the Button when he may have stayed in or even raise if we just checked and allow MP3 to make a continuation bet which he'll make a lot after 3-betting PF. So I like checking best here. I like the way you played this hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow! It's a just a best comment that I ever had received about my poker play! Thank you very much. If only I played that good as you describe thinkgin behind this c/r I would be a lot better player. It's really shame to me that my c/r was more based on intuition and I thought about button raise to protect worse hands after continuation bet from MP3 - that's all...

Thank you again.

toss · #5 12-12-2005, 06:13 PM

No problem. I'd like to say that this is what goes through my head while playing poker, but I'd be lying. However I can say that typing out that post will help me deal with similiar situations.