AK's killing me

Originally Posted by cracksniper

I simply do not know how to play this hand, and I've tried various methods. It has knocked me out of the past three tournie's please can someone advise.

Case 1; I've 8000 with blinds 300-600 OTB; EP goes AI with 2500 (short stacked) I go AI but the BB goes AI and covers me short has nothing BB ppQ's, holds up and takes me out. I can't see any other play here, I wanted to isolate the short but got caught.

Case 2; 6 handed end of tournie blinds are 600-1200 I'm in the SB with 20,000 gets folded round to me I've AKo I limp as I want a caller and the BB raises to 2400 his stack was 20,000 I push AI he calls with a pp6 and
holds up to win although I thought it was a terrible call and a raise in the first place.

Case 3; Got to final table first hand got AKo UTG min raised 3200 blinds were 800-1600 I went AI with 23000 he called with ppAA probably my mistake there did'nt think about it long enough but the flop showed an ace so I would have prob' gone out anyway even if I'd have RR.

In conclusion it is the AI with AK that's doing it but sometimes it seems the right move but does not hold up is it wise advice if someone raises before to either RR or smooth call rather than AI, obviously if your short then that's fair enough. Its just that one previous poster said the fold equity is big with AK and you still have a 50-50 chance with most callers. Please help...its getting to me

Originally Posted by Stu_Ungar

AK's power is Fold equity.

If called its usually an underdog, but not all that far behind.

I think the problem is people shove with it hoping to win at showdown.

Rather thay should be shoving with it because they have reason to think their opponent will fold, but if he calls then they have some chance of winning.

Too many people are shoving against opponents who have no intention of folding and then wondering why its not a winning hand for them.

Originally Posted by aliengenius

I posted these thoughts in another thread, but I think they are worth repeating here:

The advantages of AK are mostly in it's preflop value:

1. Fold equity. This is the biggest advantage of AK. For me it is almost alway a REraising hand preflop. 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. But you don't ever really want to be calling an all in with very many hands (AA and KK excepted)-- YOU want to be the one doing the raising or pushing.

Just to look at it another way, let's compare AK to a small pair, say 55.

AK is a dominating hand. IF your raise is called you are (most likely) either:

1. way ahead (vs. a weaker ace)
OR
2. in a 50/50ish race.

With 55 you are (most likely) either:

1. way behind (vs. a bigger pair)
OR
2. in a 50/50ish race.

See the difference?

Originally Posted by Stu_Ungar

AK's power is Fold equity.

If called its usually an underdog, but not all that far behind.

I think the problem is people shove with it hoping to win at showdown.

Rather thay should be shoving with it because they have reason to think their opponent will fold, but if he calls then they have some chance of winning.

Too many people are shoving against opponents who have no intention of folding and then wondering why its not a winning hand for them.