Help me understand Donkeys

I just entered a tournament. Dealt A-K offsuit in fourth position first round 3rd position moves all in I call everyone else folds. This guy shows 6-7off and draws out a straight. Did I make the wrong play or what? Any opions and insight will be appreciated. Don't be shy.

Yea you did. Not to say the guy wasn't a moron, because he was.. but there was no reason for you to gamble at an early stage of the tournament. You figure if he has any pair whatsoever he's a slight favorite, and even with two live cards he's not a very big underdog to take you out. If the blinds are high then you should make that call. Early stages.. fold the ace king.

I agree. I don't play AK very aggressive. I'll call a raise...and maybe a moderate reraise. But I try very hard not to get all my chips in the middle w/ AK preflop unless I'm short stacked late in a tourney. I'd say most of the time the flop misses me and I have to lay down to the post flop bet.

Example: AK in early I'll raise to about 4-5X blind. If I'm in MP, I'll raise same amount or call a raise of about 1/4-1/3 of my stack. If in late, and there is a raise and a reraise in front of me, if it's still about 1/3 of my stakc, I'll call. If it's 1/2 or more, then I won't...if I put that much in, I'll feel compelled to get all my chips in no matter what flop brings. So flop brings 2/7/10 rainbow. Now what? If you are early and you bet, then I might lead out with a 1/3-1/2 pot size bet. If I am called and/or reraised, I am done with the hand. If I am in MP or LP, and there is a big bet in front of me, I'm laying my hand down. Why? If someone raise preflop, then bet out a large bet with that flop, I'm more than likely going to put them on a set (med pair preflop). Now, this is online - live, there are other variables like tells and just observation to go on. Now, a small bet I may take as a feeler bet and it might give me the pot odds I need to chase thinking maybe an A or K is all I need to pull the hand out.

Either way, under no pressure from chip stack, etc...I wouldn't push or call a push w/ AK early on. Again, certain situations would warrant it (short stack, late in tourney, or a loose aggressive type that has been buying pots left and right).

The advantages of AK:

1. Fold equity. This is the biggest advantage of AK. For me it is almost alway a REraising hand. For you to take advantage of this, you MUST play it aggressively (your opponent must fold). Small pairs can't really call you for fear that you have a bigger pair when you play it aggressively. If you do get called, even by something like QQ, you are still only a slight dog.

2. Pre-flop dominating hand. This is mostly applicable against donks who will call you with Ax soooooded. Inversely, you are only really dominated vs AA or KK (and you have about 30% vs KK).

3. Post flop your top pair always has top kicker when you hit.

Obviously when your opponent goes all in he has neutralized AK's biggest advantage as he can no longer fold. Against two random cards that don't include either and ace or a king you are not that big of a favorite with five to come, as other posters pointed out.

Your opponent has put you in the situation that YOU want to put your opponent in: either in a 50/50ish race or a huge dog. Normally this is how a small pair has to think of the situation when you are the one pushing the action--- by going all in your opponent has taken the play away from you.

Of course early in the tournament he should only expect to be called by a better hand (which you had, but not by much); make sure next time you have him crushed.

To go all-in with 6-7 is insane - but there are a lot of those type of players out there.

He could have pushed with 22 and he still would have you beaten

AK is not as big as every one believes, yes its nice to find, nice to play with if the board helps but if you miss you left holding 2 connecting cards with nothing connected.

Early on in any tourney/game its best just to wait and see who the loose maniacs are (Mr 67 ) yes its tempting to call and sometimes people will, but remember you will never win any game on the first hand.

From his early push - you could have folded and instantly marked him as a loose player as even if he had AA by pushing allin he has probably lost anyone who might call him and so in fact cost himself some chips.

yep, he is right
I do agree with this

Pre-flop all in early in a tourney with anything is a lotto draw. Too many players are willing to play garbage on the off chance of a lucky catch. The moron that went all in on small off suited runners is just that. But, that doesn't mean you have to play his game. Exert control of the game don't be a lemming.

Thanks folks for all your thoughts. I will take all your advice being that you all had the same opinion about the situation. I watched a show learn poker from the pros that same night and entered a points tournament at Bodog. Did very well but had to sit out once I wasa in the top forty in the money. Had to go to bed.(work) Going to find out where I ended up at. Thanks again.

ya i would have to agree u should have folded with that hand

There are only 2 hands I'll call a preflop Allin with in the first hand of a tourney, and Bigslick OS isn't either one of 'em. Of course AA or KK would also have lost in this case, but lucky donks can't always be avoided.

Its ultimately still....only A high
Its best played I think late in the game when short stacked. Unless Im the button or one of the blinds, I fold this as a rule the first hour or so.

IMO, AK is only played big when you are first to act! AK can be a decent calling hand, even to a standard raise. But with a raise/reraise before me, I can and have regularly layed it down. Folding AK early rounds is fairly easy. You have no reads, and unless it is a total donkfest, where 7 of 10 are already in the pot, then even the enticing pot odds seldom entice me.

Remember than money not lost is the same as money won!