(22) AKo Facing an early all-in from LAG

Sorry I don't have the hand history with me, but it went like this:

Very early, 1st Level, full table of 9 on PS.

Folded to very LAG in MP who goes all in with T1600. Folded down to hero (T1900) on the button with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].

Hero?

[gildwulf]

This debate comes up a lot of what to do with AKo vs. an all-in raise early on in a tournament. A lot of people say fold it and wait for bigger edges on the bubble (ROI-based argument). Some people also say that taking risks like this early on is fine because if you lose you can just pump up another SNG (hourly-rate argument).

They're both good arguments and in general I prefer to be aggressive with AK early on in the tourney in lower buy-ins simply because I'm fine with coinflips early on. If you're facing a pre-flop raiser at a buy-in below 55 you can often push and get called by ace-rag, 66-AA, etc. At 55 and 100 this doesn't really work, but at 22 I would probably call here.

Generally pushing AK to a raise is much better than calling an all-in but this guy sounds like such a donk so...go for it.

Since I have moved up the to $20 games (sorry citanul for mentioning this but I think it is ok here because it is a $20 game question), I always call with AK and I hope not to get unlucky against AQ (yes it can happen).