55: 1st hand of tourney, I fold AKo to 4.5BB raise

[downtown]

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I would never fold this here, I would however, just call.

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Any explanation from this camp? I came very close to just calling, but I couldn't think of a flop I would like to see.

My range for this opponent is AQs+, AKo, maybe JJ+ definitely QQ+

Just so you have all the info and my thought process... He is going to be tough to play postflop. I sort of thought of it as I wouldn't want to mix it up with me if I had just made that raise UTG+1. I had played him about 15 times before, he's definitely a winning player, he was currently on 4 of my 8 tables, his VP$IP was about 10% for level 1, his PFR% 15.

The blinds are just so tiny and I feel my card advantage is slim to none, and I'm not going to get paid off very often when I do hit, and I'm gonna hate putting all my money in with TPTK here... I see merits in possibly being able to outmaneuver this player postflop, but I just don't think it's worth it.

[tigerite]

Say he has got JJ,AQ+.. then why let him have the 25 chips for free when you yourself have AK, which is a premium hand? Plus the fact you have position on him.. if he's as good as you say he is, he's going to know your flat call means you, also, have a hand and he'll be playing the flop very cautiously.

I fail to see the problem here. You'll have position on him throughout the hand.. it's worth 75 chips when you start with 1000..

[durron597]

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and I'm gonna hate putting all my money in with TPTK here...

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If his hand range is TT+/AQ+ he should be very easy to play against postflop.

[Mr_Oog]

I would also call. I would expect AQs+ and JJ+.

High card hands: You are a large favorite here. Not just in terms of having AK vs his somewhat possibble AQ and AK, but due to position and the likelihood the flop will miss both of you.

Big pairs: You are a dog, but as long as you can play well post flop you should be ok. You have some room with 1000 chips, don't be afraid to play.

I expect to call or raise the flop (more likely raise) depending on his bet size. If he shuts down on the turn I will steal the pot from him unless I have a monster.
This will cost some chips, but is very likely to win you some chips as he will only continue with a good made hand.
-Mike

[Paragon]

I like the fold. I would argue the advantage of our position is very small against his range of hands.

The so-called "implied odds" of hitting TP are terrible as well. If he's a multi-tabling TAG, then he can certainly fold JJ-KK on an A flop. What would be the plan for AJx, AQx, KQx, KJx flops as well... Even AKx? These are all way ahead or way behind scenarios. If anything, AK has reverse implied odds, not the other way around. The realistic hope is like K high flop with flush draw or something, and other guy gets confused into thinking you're semi bluffing instead of value betting.

We all agree coinflips for our entire stack at the start of sng's are bad... But what about for half our stack? 1/4 our stack? 10% of our stack? I just muck here as it doesn't even seem like a coinflip.