Bellagio 15-30

[B K]

I've been in this average game about 20 minutes when this hand comes up.

Im in the SB with AK [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]. An EP limper (unknown), MP raiser (rather tight), button cold calls (unknown), I call, BB calls (losing/playing bad), limper calls. Five to the flop of K [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 10 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] . I check planning to check raise and it checks around. Turn is 7 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] . Checked to the raiser who bets, button calls, I call. River is 6 [img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] (K [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 10 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 6 [img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] ). Checked around and my hand was good. The raiser showed jacks and the cold caller had QJ with one spade. Any comments?

[elysium]

hi b.k.,
o.k., let's see you have AKs in the small...hmmmm. well, you can call here but the problem is that it won't likely conceal the strength of your hand. your opponents will figure that a K or A on the flop may have hit you. and from the SB, if you do hit solidly, you must bet fast to get the bets in right away later on in the round. and it's funny how your decision on the pre-flop can have great weight post flop. in other words, if you hit on the flop, you'll be getting those bets in from early position while the gettings good; before the board gets scary, etc.

often times, since you have conditions post flop that make getting the bets in right away (poor position), it's good to play pre-flop the way you plan to play post-flop.

here, not only do you not have any reason not to raise, but you you have many reasons to raise that makes raising pre-flop correct here. let's see......hmmmm, a tight in MP.

the tight in MP is also a bit unknown here. a raise could shed a little light on his playing style and holding. your likely in the lead, but we need more info so a raise helps a little here too. o.k. let's see what we've got.....

o.k., a raise won't get rid of the BB but that's o.k. because we want him along for this ride. so go ahead and raise here. let's see the flop.....

hey great flop b.k.!! alright, well we started out on a plan to get those bets in quickly because of our poor position, so let's begin the flop by betting out. oh, don't worry. you won't lose anyone. see the two tone and notice how straightish looking the board is ? they'll be hanging around awhile, don't you worry. and , FWIW, we need to stop the free card. we're in the lead and we musn't let a free one through. let's take a look at the turn. i'm just now reading about the intended flop check-raise. o.k.

before we head into the turn, you indicated that you want to check-raise the flop. o.k., well what you need to do before check-raising b.k. are firstly, consider what it is you want to accomplish; and secondly, have some reasonable expectation of a bet.

do you remember our discussion about how actions pre-flop can actually weigh heavily post-flop? o.k., well here, a pre-flop raise may have shed some light on our assessment of the liklihood of a bet coming from behind don't you see? for example, if we were reraised, we could now say the liklihood of a bet coming after we check was reasonable. pre-flop raises do these things b.k. i don't know why, all i know is that they do. so without additional info, you must bet out yourself. you cannot reasonably assume that someonelse will do the betting for you, although sometimes they will. here, we're not sure. therefore, we must bet. let's take a look at the turn now.

nothing has changed, you must bet. let's look at the river.

nothing has changed, you must bet.

wow. that was some ride!!

in the future b.k., remember; you must bet, you must bet, you must bet. bye for now.

[sucka]

do you remember our discussion about how actions pre-flop can actually weigh heavily post-flop?

in the future b.k., remember; you must bet, you must bet, you must bet.

Is this guy for real?

[astroglide]

i would 3bet preflop with a big suited ace. you're happy if the fold or call.

[sucka]

Pre-flop: I like the call. You aren't getting anyone out (except maybe the BB) so the call is fine.

Flop: I'd just bet out here. Flush draws will gladly take the free card and you are giving underpairs to your K a free ride as well. Also, your call pre-flop disguises your hand a little - no one is going to stick you on AK - more like betting a flush draw here (see turn raise) Bet out.

Turn: Raise.

River: I think the check is OK here. I seriously doubted someone had the straight (or the flush) but since you never tested anyone on the turn you don't really know. Given that, checking is fine.

[astroglide]

who needs to get anyone out?

aks wins way more than its fair share here.

[mike l.]

3 bet preflop most of the time. call every now and then. it's okay to vary this according to how youre running since running good will be most of the time and running bad will be every now and then.

checkraise the flop is good idea.

checkraise the turn is critical here. just calling=unacceptable.

[brad]

'checkraise the turn is critical here. just calling=unacceptable. '

yep i was kinda shocked when he said he called.

[Ed Miller]

I would 3-bet preflop... AKs is a big holding. You have to checkraise the turn... just calling is a blunder. You simply can't allow weak spades (or stiff Jacks, 9s, or 6s) to draw cheaply against you.

[Diplomat]

Call me an idiot, but...why?