Poorly played AK.... thoughts?

[stupidsucker]

I have been strugling lately with how to play AK, and I think I really screwed this up.

Blinds 50-100
7 handed
1575 stack

UTG limps in(900 stack)
1 fold
I muck.

Why would I do this?

[Hendricks433]

Mucking AK to no raise? I think thats just Horrible. I would raise to 400 since theres a limper and go from there. I dont like limping here with Blinds getting big. Folding AK preflop with no raises I think is def a losing play.

[stupidsucker]

More info

100/200
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 7
10+1
UTG limper900)
Folder1420)
Hero: (1575)
Seat 92015)
Seat 1255)
Seat 2540)
Seat 31295)

Also this is only the second hand of level 4.

[stupidsucker]

[ QUOTE ]
A "good sized raise" to about t400-T500 is about 1/3 of your stack. You don't want a call and then have to play postflop after you miss, but at the same time you don't want a bigger stack (assuming there is one) to come over the top. OTOH, pushing seems aggro, because you don't want to risk having to race for t900 from the limpers 55 or whatever for a measely t350 currently in the pot when you are currently very comfortable at t1575.

[/ QUOTE ]

This was my thought process in a nutshell.

At the 10+1s people severly overplay their PPs right down to 22. I thought to myself... "Is this really worth the risk?" If I get called I am most likely behind. With 4 players left to act and a limper. AND 2 short stacks that will surely play any pair at this level.

I never would have folded this before. I would have pushed without even thinking. Bones is right about me needing a heater. I have no doubt in my mind that I have been making some weak-tight plays like this early, but this was the extreme, and I havent made many of these.

Ive played a lot of SnGs and I have never really had one last longer then 100 SnGs. Normally all minor heaters are preceded or immeadiatly suceeded by a major downswing.

Think back to your worst roller coaster swing ever.
I've been on that swing for over a year.

Some of that could have been avoided by better play on my part. No doubt I make my fair share of mistakes, but I still feel like I have had a pretty rough run of luck. All of my hands may even work out to be statistacly perfect, but I really seem to hit a wall in the big hands.

<font color="white">Ive never folded AK here before. I thought about it.. and figured it wasnt costing me much. For the record a small stack pushed UTG called with AQs. Small stack had J9s. </font>

[bones]

[ QUOTE ]
At the 10+1s people severly overplay their PPs right down to 22.

[/ QUOTE ] They also overplay any ace and big kings. But you know this already.

[Myst]

[ QUOTE ]
At the 10+1s people severly overplay their PPs right down to 22. I thought to myself... "Is this really worth the risk?" If I get called I am most likely behind. With 4 players left to act and a limper. AND 2 short stacks that will surely play any pair at this level.

[/ QUOTE ]

They also overplay Ax.

[stupidsucker]

I don't feel that my move was horrible. -chip EV and -$EV yes.

A different form of EV comes into play, and it was the sole source of my decision. In a split second I can run through my options.

Raise
Push
Fold

I felt pushing was probably the best move and I ruled out raising right away. Could I really fold this I paused...

My ultimate choice to fold was a risk vs reward in my head dealing with my mental state. I knew that folding it was wrong and weaktight. I also knew that I didnt feel in any jeopardy if I do fold. If I push and I lose I would be pissed. I wasnt ready for the consequences of a push so I folded.

I eventualy took third.

knowing that I wasn't ready then I have decided to take a break for the day until I am ready.

All things considered I think I made the right move. No +EV push is worth a potential damaging mental block. Had I lost that hand I would have been done for the day.

Going through poker woes and personal problems at the same time require careful thought. I cant stop playing, but I can limit my play based on how I feel.

For the record. I feel pushing is &gt; raising here and folding is &gt; raising.

[durron597]

Don't take this the wrong way... but folding here is why your cooler has lasted as long as it has.

Eff Pee Ess.

Of course I'm not one to talk, I've been FPSing my $ away a lot recently too.

Something to keep in mind; don't try to "win" every SnG by "outplaying" your opponents and making Hellmuthian folds. Just make the best play without overthinking yourself and if you lose you lose.

The only way to guarantee a loss is if you fold too much; at least if you're in there raising at least you give yourself the chance to get lucky.

(Obviously the advice in this thread can be taken to the other extreme which is also bad, but I hope you see what I'm getting at).

[raptor517]

lol, i duno i rather just open shove rather than fold. holla

[downtown]

[ QUOTE ]
lol, i duno i rather just open shove rather than fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW this is what I do here. I left that out.

Edit- but I'm aggro.