Typical AK Hand

[theBruiser500]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $10 BB (9 handed) converter

BB ($1236.75)
Hero ($1091)
UTG+1 ($747.25)
MP1 ($1002)
MP2 ($1082)
MP3 ($1490)
CO ($965.75)
Button ($1030)
SB ($1414)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $40</font>, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls $40, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds.

Flop: ($95) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $70</font>, MP1 calls $70.

Turn: ($235) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $170</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 raises to $380</font>, Hero calls $210.

River: ($995) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $601 (All-In)</font>

No read on opponent. I'm playing bad, fold turn, reraise all in on turn? I think the way it got to the river, I have to lead out all in don't I? Or actually since the straight and flush got there, maybe I should check/fold? I don't know.

[Roman]

I check call turn, and I fold turn if raised and check call river if I called turn.

[BadVoodooX]

The problem with leading out on the river is there only one hand that he could possibly have that you can beat: KQ and even that is the least likely holding here I think. There is a small chance of a split pot but I just don't think he's likely to raise you the way he did on the turn with AK when you could easily have AA, KK or QQ and he'd be dead meat and where is he if you flat call the turn and bet $300 on the river? He'd be pot stuck and have to call so I'm assuming that if he has AK he just wants to get to the river as cheaply as possible. Everything else that he could have at this point from QQ, KK, AA or J10 or some really unlikely club draw like 9-10 still has you beat and he's not going to think you have the flush since the Ac hit so you don't even have any fold equity by moving in if he has the straight. It sucks but I think you have to check/fold here even with top 2 pair because I just don't see how it's good since both draws got there if he was semi bluffing and another 661 isn't enough for even a moron to laydown a set of QQ or KK here.

[creedofhubris]

This is why I tend to limp AK UTG; even when you get there big (top two!) you don't want to play a huge pot.

Under less draw-heavy-board circumstances I might check the turn, but I think I would play the same way you did, with two exceptions: slightly smaller turn bet, and check/call the river.

[theBruiser500]

Hm, good point on the river play Voddoxx.

[BadVoodooX]

The river is the easy part, it's the turn where I'm a little queasy. I think you played it right because not calling his raise is too passive with tptk but I hate not being able to do anything without getting pot commited to make him define his hand more with those 2 draws and 2 of the 3 big pp's being possible sets there. Checking to him in hopes of check raising him isn't an option with 2 obvious draws either. I can't think of anything to do other than what you did and switch to check/call mode on the river if the draws miss but I'd love to hear if anyone else has a better suggestion for the turn.

BadVoodooX

[BadVoodooX]

Even with a smaller bet of something like $125 and presumably reraise on the turn, he's still going to be dealing with a pot size that will be all in for him on the river if his opponent raises him more than 80% the size of the pot. With that Ac, how likely do you think Bruiser is winning/splitting/losing on the river? Personally I think he's unless he's got a donkey on his hands he's 5% winning/20% split pot/75% toast which isn't good enough for the 3-1 on his money on the river with a smaller turn bet. Not trying to be disagreeable it's just a rotten situation as I see it.

[riverboatking]

ok you can rule out drawing hands for him, because he wouldn't wait till the turn to raise with a big draw like J10 clubs.

that being said it is hard for you to represent the flush for the reason voodoo pointed out...the ace of clubs kills your bluffing equity, as up till that point AK of clubs was a hand he had to fear.

the real question is: will he lay down a set when both the straight and flush draw hits?

vs. an avg internet player whom you have no read on i'd have to say this is not likely.

i actually don't think he had a set...for some reason i just can't help thinking this guy had KJ of clubs.
and if he did don't worry even if you reraise all in on the turn this guy would've called anyway.

as voodoo mentioned, the only hand you are beating here is KQ and its hard to imagine KQ doesn't raise the flop.

ok now that that is out of the way i just want to make a couple comments about your preflop and flop decisions.
why such a small preflop raise out of position?
secondly why underbet the pot on the flop.
i think in this spot an overbet might be in order...something to the tune of $125. this way you don't have to play a guessing game for the rest of the hand. the fact that you are out of position is crucial to the way you play this hand, and i think it makes it essential to get as much information as you can as quickly as possible and as cheaply as possible.

interested to hear how this turned out.

[theBruiser500]

I don't think draws can be ruled out. If he has a draw and wants to represent a strong hand he'd wait until the turn to raise.

[turnipmonster]

agreed. his folding equity is way higher on the turn.