AK from BB, correct play or was I just lucky?

morberg · #1 02-16-2005, 04:27 PM

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. MP1 posts a blind of $0.5.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, MP1 (poster) checks, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, 1 fold, SB completes, Hero raises, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, CO calls, SB folds.

Flop: (10 SB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, CO folds.

Turn: (6 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 folds.

Final Pot: 7 BB

Thanks goes out to UTG+1 and MP1 who contribute 1 SB each and then fold pre-flop. The flop misses me completely, but it can't be of much use to anyone else either (there could be an 87 or 98 out there). With the pre-flop raise a bet seems to be in place, right? Two folds. Nice. The turn card feels relatively safe as well so I bet out again.

Did I just get lucky here that the opponents folded their hands, or was this the correct way to play AKo with this type of flop/turn?

SoftcoreRevolt · #2 02-16-2005, 04:53 PM

For Party .5/1 I'd play that the exact same way. Even if he hits a small pair and stays in this hand, long term taking the bluff an extra street should be profitable. (Since it is against only one opponent now.)

Womble · #3 02-16-2005, 04:53 PM

Standard flop bet.

As turn was heads up a bet is good here. If your called I expect he has something.

Sykes · #4 02-16-2005, 05:52 PM

Correct play.

Cooker · #5 02-16-2005, 06:52 PM

I don't love the preflop raise. The point of raising AKo is to drive out players and take control of the hand. It is unlikely that you will fold anybody that has already put in a bet and now you have to play out of position with a bunch of people acting behind you making it impossible to take control and get free cards etc. I just check preflop and if I miss the flop I check call (I might check raise a bet on the flop if it might make it HU) if I have the odds to draw to a 6 outer (if it is 2 bets to me, I might fold fearing a big made hand). If you hit the flop, then you can punish the weak ace players by check raising. They will frequently only call down when they hit their aces if aggression is shown preflop, but often bet and even reraise their weak ace if no one raises preflop.

I think this line minimizes risk and maximizes profit in a multiway pot with AKo from the blinds. If it was only going to be heads up or 3 way, a raise for value might be in order especially if the SB is one of the players, but against several limpers you don't have all that much pot equity preflop with AKo and you are out of position.

I think you have to follow up with a bet on the flop, but now you are betting into the whole field basically praying no one has a pair that they are willing to call down with. It was nice that you took down this pot, but in my experience, I have lost an awful lot getting looked up by 3rd pair when I miss to really want to invest too much with this hand in this particular spot.

I am not saying AK isn't good, it is, but I like playing it fast when I am first in or have a pretty good chance at shutting out the field behind me so I can buy free cards if I need them.

skoal2k4 · #6 02-16-2005, 07:00 PM

you're line of thinking is way weak-tight

skoal2k4 · #7 02-16-2005, 07:02 PM

nicely played... if you are called on the turn, check/fold the river... unless an A or K hits [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]