Standard AK?

[Los Feliz Slim]

This is generally how I play AK. Too bold? Too weak? Too tired?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (9 handed) converter

MP2 ($321)
MP3 ($111.85)
Hero ($258.65)
Button ($229.90)
SB ($94.80)
BB ($143.50)
UTG ($140.10)
UTG+1 ($346)
MP1 ($212.05)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, MP3 calls $2, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $10</font>, Button calls $10, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls $8, MP3 folds.

Flop: ($33) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $20</font>, Button folds, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises to $40</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $93

[DasLeben]

I think this is a pretty standard continuation bet. If you were first to act, maybe there would be an argument for checking against 2 opponents. But with BB checking to you, I think this is mandatory. JMO.

[MikeL]

I just don't like this flop play, especially in small
stakes. This looks like good tournament play gone bad
in the cash game.

Your AKs whiffed the flop, why put anymore in, especially
with 2 others playing?

Regards,
Mike L.

[jonnyUCB]

easy fold, I might fold an overpair on this flop vs that short-stacked BB. He's basically committing 1/3 his stack before 4th street... it takes a pretty talented player to fold after putting that much in, so he has a hand he'll take all the way. This may or may not include Jx depending on your villian so how you play an overpair is read dependent.

[bweiser8311962]

i never raise that much with a.k ... and this is why. you totally missed the flop, led out and cost yourself $30 instead of $5 or so. frankly, i've taken to limping with A/k a lot more. if the ace comes, you'll make more money from a/rag who played and if it misses, you throw it away without a great loss.

[nolefan21]

How would you adjust this for 6 max play? AK is a definite winning hand for me (winning about 60% WSF), but I play it pretty aggressively, betting about 3/4 of the pot whether it hit or not, no matter what position (within reason of course, not with 4+ players, etc.). I only go to SD with it about 22% of the time.

At 6 max, is this a good strategy?

[KKrAAAzy88s]

[ QUOTE ]
i never raise that much with a.k ... and this is why. you totally missed the flop, led out and cost yourself $30 instead of $5 or so. frankly, i've taken to limping with A/k a lot more. if the ace comes, you'll make more money from a/rag who played and if it misses, you throw it away without a great loss.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you'd limp and let the big blind (and all other limpers) see a free flop and beat you with some wacky 2 pair or get a good draw? You need to raise to clear out the junk and try to reduce the number of opponents. It may have cost him $30 here, but what about all the other times where he bets and everyone folds and he takes down the pot? In this instance, he gets check raised with a flop he missed and i think he makes the right play with the easy fold.

[MikeL]

This would certianly make a great study, if you could collect
about 2000 AK hands where the flop is J high rainbow garbage.
Play 1000 of the hands "weak" after the flop and the other
1000 "aggressive" after the flop and see which 1000 generates
the most profit. It's a shame no software, as of yet, can
do such a search.

Regards,
Mike L.

P.S. Perhaps I write a new program this year.

[KKrAAAzy88s]

well it also depends on the players at your table and and their read on you (if they do have any reads). I'm not saying to always play aggressive and raise after the flop, it's just always going to depend. I still think that you need to raise preflop with AK though to clear the junk.

[DasLeben]

[ QUOTE ]
This would certianly make a great study, if you could collect
about 2000 AK hands where the flop is J high rainbow garbage.
Play 1000 of the hands "weak" after the flop and the other
1000 "aggressive" after the flop and see which 1000 generates
the most profit. It's a shame no software, as of yet, can
do such a search.

Regards,
Mike L.

P.S. Perhaps I write a new program this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a neat idea. I'd definitely like to see a program like that that isn't just for limit hold'em.

I tend to play a more aggressive game, so I still like the idea of putting out a bet here instead of checking. That flop is pretty trashy, so I think this is a good spot to lead out and see what happens. If the pot isn't taken down uncontested, you at least get some good information.

I just hate the idea of checking and having someone take a shot at my pot without knowing where I stand. In this case, Hero bet, BB raised, and now Hero can fold with a clear conscience. On the other hand, if Hero checked and the button put out a bet, well, now Hero doesn't know what's going on. Is the button making a move at the pot? Hero still has to fold to a bet either way, but the latter example has Hero folding the best hand much more often.