AK - Tough Spot

Hey Guys,

Just want to discuss I hand I played at the casino in a NL $1/$2 game.

I am UTG and I make it $10 with AK os. Villain (UTG +1) calls, both blinds call.

Stack Sizes:

Me: $230
Villain: $250

FLOP: As Qh 2h

Blinds check. I make it $30. Villain (UTG+1) raises to $60. I decide to call and see what he does on the turn, not knowing if has two pair, a set or even a flush draw.

TURN: Kh

I check. Villain makes it $75. At this point that's pretty much half my stack so I can only go all-in or fold. I'm a bit wary since he isn't scared of the flush but it's also possible he has two pair like A2 or AQ with the Ah.

I decide to shove and he snap calls. He had Ah9h.

RIVER: 3h

I know it's a cooler but should I have been able to sniff out the flush on the turn? Tough spot regardless but I just want some feedback on what you guys think.

That's really just one of those hands that you can't do much about. Both of you had made hands, you both improved on the turn, and got it when you thought you had the best hand. He just happened to have a better hand than you did.

its played fine man, easily getting right price to get it in v both flushes/weaker two pair/Ahxr etc etc

yeah tough spot to put someone on a flush. My advice to you is find a spot where you have more than a pair to build a pot with. This entire hand is a bunch of tough decisions. AK is a good hand to play but personally i dont want to get involved in big pot with just a pair on flop. So much beats you in this hand and if a flush card does not come out and you don't turn 2 pair your still in a tough spot to call on all streets with just a pair of aces.

Justinawe12 said:

That's really just one of those hands that you can't do much about. Both of you had made hands, you both improved on the turn, and got it when you thought you had the best hand. He just happened to have a better hand than you did.

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Agree with this however the only thing I would change is I'd re-raise his min raise on the flop, especially since you are out of position.

Calling to "see what he does" leads to a lot of check calling with your hand and a lot of guessing. I'd rather see what he does on the flop, as it gives us a lot more information, well that and we are ahead here vast majority of the time and it's always good to get lots of money in when ahead. As played we only hope he has a hand like AQ and are check calling with that hope. Also as played because we are guessing we now do things like check shove when the draw card comes. If we are gonna play for it all anyway, and we should, we'd like to do it otf. I think very rarely we lose value if he has a hand like Ax as he's unlikely to bet much more ott or otr anyway once you've called the raise. He just gets control now from position and gets to play his hand the most profitable way.

Re-raising the flop makes him define his hand more, weather that be made or a draw, because it puts even the hand he had in a much tougher position as he will now know he is solely on a draw and probably without much fold equity so he's less likely to re-raise, and if he just flats, it pretty much telegraph's his hand and we can play our hand much more profitably from there rather than check-calling/accessing w/o much info. He may very well just go all in anyway which again I think is fine for us (and we shouldnt fold)

Also, I think there's much to be read from his min raise. With you being an UTG raiser, then betting an ace high flop, I doubt he's min-raising with 22 on that flop knowing he likely could get a lot more action/aggression out of you with your range (as well I highly doubt he flatted a 5x pre raise from UTG+1 with 22), unless he thinks you're not committed and/or thinks you're an aggro and will 3 bet bluff (lol) and we can all but remove QQ. I also doubt he mins AQ as that's pretty much the same as 22. So, his hand really looks like a draw combo or Ax and by re-raising we not only make more money when ahead, but we take control of the pot and can make much better decisions on the turn and river.

betting $10 I hink is too low.. Unless this is a very stight $1-$2.. I think you was lucky you didnt get a bunch of callers. I would have done $15
Postflop... hmmm this is a hard decision here. I am thinking baut folding.. Yes I have AK but Very possible he has A-Q or maybe A-K.. then very possible that he has draws for a flush or straight. then again very easy to have a straight fluch draw. And no history on this player. without knowing this player I think I would fold but watch him very carefully.
TURN: This would be tough.. With that heart I am even more scared but then I got top two. but he could have made the flush or the straight. If I would have not fold the post-flop I would proably push here to. I would have not believed him if I would have made the call on the post-flop.
I dont think you could have sniff out the flush..

you played it right,it would have been the same even if you had trips, villain seems like a chaser,he figured that aside from a top pair he has a flush draw and would have gone in no matter what,its just one of those hands that draw you like a magnet,or a insect to light lol.

I think u played it right, but that's one of those days that your hand lost, even with knowing that he got 4:1 to not hit flush, and I would bet little bit more aggressively at beginning to try to push him out, but what the hell....
gl next time man

pbacker23 said:

Hey Guys,

Just want to discuss I hand I played at the casino in a NL $1/$2 game.

I am UTG and I make it $10 with AK os. Villain (UTG +1) calls, both blinds call.

Stack Sizes:

Me: $230
Villain: $250

FLOP: As Qh 2h

Blinds check. I make it $30. Villain (UTG+1) raises to $60. I decide to call and see what he does on the turn, not knowing if has two pair, a set or even a flush draw.

TURN: Kh

I check. Villain makes it $75. At this point that's pretty much half my stack so I can only go all-in or fold. I'm a bit wary since he isn't scared of the flush but it's also possible he has two pair like A2 or AQ with the Ah.

I decide to shove and he snap calls. He had Ah9h.

RIVER: 3h

I know it's a cooler but should I have been able to sniff out the flush on the turn? Tough spot regardless but I just want some feedback on what you guys think.

Click to expand...

What I think:

Pre- Too Big, but live it depends sometimes...

Flop- WAAAAY too big. You want worse aces to call, no?

Turn- What are you ahead of now?

What did you know about villian? What was his playing style up to this hand? Did you ever notice him raising on a flush draw before?

A2345Razz said:

What I think:

Pre- Too Big, but live it depends sometimes...

Flop- WAAAAY too big. You want worse aces to call, no?

Turn- What are you ahead of now?

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Pre is fine live.

Flop is a nice size $30 into $40, are you wanting to let them hit draws cheaply?

Turn I agree its probably a fold, if he doesnt have a set its a flush. Any 2pair we beat would likely check back the turn. I hate the shove though.