AK's killing me

#1 14th July 2009, 2:48 PM

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

#2 14th July 2009, 4:00 PM

AK is not the best hand to be constantly going AI with, unless you know your opponent is often going AI w/o pp's.

AKs is a coinflip with most PP's <KK, its like 48% - 52% in their favor.
AKo is less than a coinfilp, with most PP's <KK its like 45%-55% in their favor.

#3 14th July 2009, 4:06 PM

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.

#4 14th July 2009, 8:07 PM

Ak tough hand. no easy decision or right way to play in all situations.
So sometimes I limp preflop then allin the flop, or allin preflop or 3-5xBB
preflop. I guess that's why they call it a "race" when all in. If you figure out a consistent winning method let me know.

#5 15th July 2009, 4:14 AM

Why would u go allin with AK? It's not a guranteed victory, it's not even a pair. Why not raise a little bigger than usual and see the flop and maybe call it down and try and hit your pair. It will save you from losing all ur chips.

#6 15th July 2009, 5:22 AM

Quote:

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

I use to have problems playing Big slick in the past until I had read this little gem which helped me play AK better, hope it helps Big Slick

#7 15th July 2009, 7:22 AM

Quote:

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.

qft:

Quote:

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?

#8 15th July 2009, 1:46 PM

Quote:

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.

+1 for sure

#9 15th July 2009, 7:13 PM

Every hand you lost to here was better than yours preflop. AK is a very powerful hand but you need to play your opponent and not your own hand at times. If you raise the standard 3.5 x BB and you get a caller then you have to be aware that your opponent has probably got a hand. It could be pocket pairs or an A high kicker or high suited or unsuited connectors. Everybody is different and part of the game is reading your opponent. When the flop hits the table you need to think all the scenarios through and calculate the odds and only then should you make the next decision. The biggest problem with AK is tha a lot of guys just cant lay them down even although it is obvious they are beat.

#10 16th July 2009, 10:56 AM

Thanks for the replies guys I now think AK is a reraising hand for the fold equity mainly and if they call then play for the flop to hit and consider continuation bet if all low cards. I'm just going to be careful with the all ins unless I'm short or want to isolate a player who is short

#11 16th July 2009, 11:47 AM

You got it, now crack. you have to learn to not over play AK, also know when to fold it, you will lose a lot less with AK.
I kill AK, a lot, but that maybe coz i don't see it a lot, but do AQ

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