AK in small blind

swedeD · #1 06-19-2005, 02:36 AM

Hmm, I played this hand kind of strange. Villian is a decent player. Not a fish, not pretty good. Bluffs some times.

Will only a worse hand fold after my turn bet, or can I get him to fold two pair. His flop bet convinced me that he didn't have the straight, because if he had he would have prob bet 3/4 of the pot or less. I put him on a steal or/and flush or straight draw. Comments about my play?

And a general question:

Which play gives you the impression of most strength:

1. A check call after the flop and then a push after turn (with a blank turn card).

2. A check raise after the flop.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (6 max, 6 handed) converter

UTG ($35.5)
MP ($99)
CO Villian ($87.24)
Button ($98.2)
Hero ($154.48)
BB ($115.07)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Hero posts a blind of $0.5.
UTG calls $1, 1 fold, CO Villian calls $1, 1 fold, Hero (poster) raises to $5 , BB calls $4, UTG folds, CO Villian calls $4.

Flop: ($16) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, Villian bets $15, Hero calls $15, BB folds.

Turn: ($46) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets $67

AZK · #2 06-19-2005, 02:58 AM

Not a fan. What about KJ here? I like the turn lead, but not for an overbet. If you really think he whiffed, and he fires 2 rounds, then check-raise his ass all in on the turn.

Edit: To answer a few of your questions, most will not fold two pair here, they would have to be so tight/solid that they wouldn't be playing any two pair on that board in the first place to a raise (except maybe JTs). Normally when a preflop raiser checks the flop and bets the turn hard, it's a monster, assuming they normally lead flops after raising.

swedeD · #3 06-19-2005, 03:09 AM

ok. thx for the response! well, I agree. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] After I make the overbet/push, I just didn't realized why I played the hand like that.... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

How would you have played the hand? Lead the flop? (I think everyone at this table then would place me on AK or better)

StLouisMike · #4 06-19-2005, 03:29 AM

You put yourself in the lead preflop so I belive you should lead out most of the time on the flop. I especially believe you should lead out here or check/fold. A coordinated board makes your tptk a marginal holding against two other players. If you are reraised you may or may not be beaten but, you call and the turn brings a 4 str8 on board you are in dire straits. This is why it is imperative to stay in the lead on the flop with a strong 3/4 to full pot sized bet. Also you seem to suggest that if you bet out on the flop that it would give away the strength of your hand? With that flop you are hoping to pick up the pot right there. This is not a situation where you want to play a big pot with tptk/gs str8 draw. So if they interpret your bet for strength....good thats what you want. If this were me I would feel very fortunate to pick up this pot on the flop without getting played back at.

Mike

dibbs · #5 06-19-2005, 03:31 AM

As played I'd lead here, unless you are super sure he's gonna bet. There are so many turn cards that make you hate your hand especially OOP. I don't checkraise that much with legit hands though so maybe a style difference.

Problem with a push on a blank turn is I highly doubt you're called unless you're beaten, with this guy anyways. Thinking more about it, if you think he's gonna fire at the flop, a checkraise is allright, granted he's only call you there if you're beat too, but you just wanna take it down.

I like the stop and go combo on the turn I, freeze him up, if he pushes you can bounce pretty easy, but then again with this hand I don't really wanna see a turn, too many cards I'd hate that fit his possible hands here.

swedeD · #6 06-19-2005, 04:03 AM

ok. thx. lets say you go for a stop and go, how much do you bet at the turn?

swedeD · #7 06-19-2005, 04:10 AM

ok. thx. And another question:

If you have made a lot of continued bets after raising preflop and some players have started to reraise your flop bet with medium pairs and good draws (or you think that). Would this affect your play or are you still leading out? What I'm thinking about is that if you got reraised you are in a tough spot. If you check raise and got raised, it's an easier decision. (This is assuming that you play against aggressiv players that probalby will bet if you don't)

dibbs · #8 06-19-2005, 04:21 AM

I'd probably just pot it, or maybe 55$ or something. I rarely overbet pots though unless it's some massive push or something. Thinking about it though I like your bet size. If I'm in his shoes, first off your SnG combo would have me saying wtf, but then with the biggish overbet I really might feel you were trapping, AA/KK or the straight and you decided to lay the hammer down with one card to come. To answer your original question, the way you played it MAY get him to lay down two pair, if he's above average, I don't know the players at this level though.. Take it with a grain of salt, I play way lower than this.

StLouisMike · #9 06-19-2005, 11:47 AM

A turn bringing so many scare cards is exactly why you can't risk a free card for a checkraise. Your hand needs to be stronger than that to check raise in that situation. There are very few hands to check raise with there, even with top set I would bet out on the flop with the fear of scare cards. Also if you are reasonably sure you are beaten by something like two pair don't try to get your opponent to fold that hand it will cost you more money than its worth at that level.