25NL - AK in BB facing two raises

GunslingerZ

GunslingerZ

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 10, 2007
Total posts
411
Chips
0
This is one of those AK situations pre-flop where I'm pretty lost OOP. I've been at the table for 3 or 4 orbits.

UTG is a loose, passive donkey. Three times I've have already seen him raise then call a three-bet, one time showing down Ace-rag offsuit. MP1 is a strong player. He has been fairly aggressive, and hasn't backed down the few times someone played back at him. He hasn't shown down any hands. Always pot-sized c-bets.

If I smooth call here, I know UTG will call with any hand. If I 4-bet, UTG will likely fold, but I don't expect to lose MP1 unless my raise is very big, committing me pre-flop. If I see a flop in either case, I'm out of position against a strong, aggressive player. If I hit top pair, I would have no problem committing against him, but I'm not comfortable playing for 100BBs pre-flop or if I whiff with AK. Should I be?



Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Button ($29.65)
SB ($25)
Hero ($25.85)
UTG ($19.85)
UTG+1 ($35.15)
MP1 ($27.25)
MP2 ($32.50)
CO ($24.65)

Preflop: Hero is BB with As Kh.
UTG raises to $0.75, 1 fold, MP1 raises to $2.60, 4 folds, Hero ???
 
winneronline

winneronline

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Total posts
62
Chips
0
If donkeys raise does not mean anything at all to you and the other player is good, I think it will not mean anything to him either. So, he may be 3-betting there with a wide range of hands. You are only in bad shape against AA, KK here. There is a really good possibility that you are ahead the most of the time. I believe that you can 4-bet here to 9$ and see what he does.
 
Jagsti

Jagsti

I'm sweet enough!
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Total posts
5,478
Chips
0
This is a situation I find myself in a lot with AK. My play usually it to 4-bet here, but i'm usually lost when I get called and I hit air on the flop. Against weaker opponents a cb will usually do the trick, but if they play back or flat call then we facing a tricky situation on the turn. I'll be interested to see how others play this, especially after getting called on the flop.
 
S

Seneku

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Total posts
173
Chips
0
Had AK just now, raised it 4 times the BB UTG, BB reraised me to 17 times the BB. Ended up folding it. Thinking back at it, I probably should have put him all in, but I think it's hard to play AK. I always tend to play it weak, which doesn't bring me very good results.
 
T

Threads13

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Total posts
48
Chips
0
I tend to let these go. You could be seeing this guy 3-bet light but usually he has a hand. I could see merit in any of the 3 lines here though. You could fold because in general you aren't good against his range. You could raise because you have a lot of FE. You could call and hope to flop TPTK and commit(usually against the loose player).

I'm off my posting game. So I will leave it at that. :)
 
NineLions

NineLions

Advanced beginner
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 20, 2006
Total posts
4,979
Chips
0
Ugh.

If UTG is loose, passive and a calling station, he's the kind of person you want to get into a hand when you've got a strong hand. If MP has seen what you see, he's expecting UTG to call, has a strong hand and is raising to get him isolated.

AK plays well preflop, but 2/3 of the time you'll miss the flop so it's a bad hand to be calling with; I'd want to be the last raiser preflop. It's already been 3 bet, and I suspect MP has a hand so I'd fold in this instance.
 
T

Threads13

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Total posts
48
Chips
0
I think doing anything but folding is going to be hard unless you know that the tight player will raise light in spots like this. Otherwise you are not in great shape against his range and you are putting in a lot of money preflop OOP.

If he do that I think rereraise is the best best option to try to take advantage of some FE.
 
shinedown.45

shinedown.45

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Total posts
5,389
Chips
0
Most of the above is correct.
A raise from MP in itself is an indication of strength especially from a solid player and you would do yourself good just to lay down AK here.
More often than not your up against a made hand and with his re-raise I wouldn't doubt that he is holding one of three hands, AA,KK or QQ.
 
Top