Do you ever call AK on preflop?

#1 January 8th, 2020, 1:29 PM

Hello everyone,
When do you call AK on open-raise ?

#2 January 8th, 2020, 2:36 PM

I will only call AK in case if I have AA

#3 January 8th, 2020, 2:51 PM

AK is a mandatory 3bet for me in almost all cases... I might consider flatting if the opener is very tight, but even then, a 3 bet can take it down right there which makes it a worthwhile decision

#4 January 8th, 2020, 3:11 PM

if several players are competing.

#5 January 8th, 2020, 4:29 PM

mandatory 3bet with AK

there is a myth that with AK, you must see all 5 cards on the board

not too sure if that is true or not

#6 January 8th, 2020, 4:47 PM

Generally call a raise if I have position. Depends if I know how that person plays.

#7 January 8th, 2020, 5:44 PM

This is a very broad question. I mean we can talk all kinds of scenarios depending on image/their image + ranges where mixing up play is probable. In general, AK is one of those hands you want to 3bet to balance out hands that you would also 3bet (such as QQ+)

#8 January 8th, 2020, 6:12 PM

Much depends on position and the other players and the point in the tournament and my image and relative stacks and a few other things. Bottom line - I see guys overplay AK a LOT. It is not a fantastic hand "just because" but it's definitely a good pair of cards to start a hand with.

#9 January 8th, 2020, 7:42 PM

I think in my head I call with AK an amount that I would have been willing to raise with. Or an amount of a smaller all in bet that I'd call to potentially knock a player out on a flip situation while knowing the max that I'd lose.

This isn't saying I'd go all in with the AK unless I was a shoving range.

This stuff is what makes poker and hold'em so great. Because there are hundreds? (maybe?) yes, no, situational answers that make them wrong or right.

In a tourney I'm going to be ultra shy to the chip leaders to me at the table by more than 3times my beginning chip stack. And more aggressive or loose to players that I have two or more times their chip stack. Mix in where I am in position and who's left to act and how those players have been playing.

For instance say I'm two before the dealer and an original raise I'm open to calling unless a bigger stack that pushes their chips quite often depending on the raise I'm contemplating calling with AK. Will calling this raise hurt my stack when somebody that will likely 3 bet an amount I wouldn't want to pay starting preflop to now 2 raisers?

Or flip the instance, I have twice as many chips as any that's left to act, I may actually put in a raise or call and not worry if one of those to act after me happen to go allin and getting the initial raiser to call that allin as well. I'm at a good pot odds with a strong drawing hand and knowledge how much my stack will lose when I don't hit my draw.
Scenarios, situations, etc. You can be right or wrong.
I'm confident in playing a short stack and with freeze out tourneys I will play looser to players that I can take out without hurting my position that much.

#10 January 8th, 2020, 8:10 PM

AK is a very strong hand but it is not unbeatable, depending on the situation of the player is yes you have to call, fold, reise, 3bet or even all in, you must evaluate the situation and as the diagnostics perform how you should play the best way the situation suits all in, call, fold and etc ...
Do you ever call AK on preflop?

#11 January 8th, 2020, 8:40 PM

It all depends on the position at the table, plus what discipline of poker, who sits in front of the regular or fish on BB/SB. In MTT bubble or not, I can throw out AA if the stack is deep, and there are a lot of players in the Bank.

#12 January 8th, 2020, 8:44 PM

Originally Posted by ssangyongpoker

mandatory 3bet with AK

there is a myth that with AK, you must see all 5 cards on the board

not too sure if that is true or not

Personally NO. I don't agree Do you ever call AK on preflop?

#13 January 8th, 2020, 8:44 PM

It depends on several factors but I generally 3 bet AK .

#14 January 8th, 2020, 8:48 PM

Almost all the time its a clear 3bet for me. Could throw in occassional calls to conceal my hand but only 1/10 times. Maybe play it like that when you re in position or bb.

#15 January 8th, 2020, 8:48 PM

Hi
With AK pre flop, I would fold to any all in, unless my stack is low.
AK nor AA or any hand is a sure shot winner preflop. Do you ever call AK on preflop?

#16 January 8th, 2020, 8:54 PM

I always call.AK is a monster couple.

#17 January 8th, 2020, 9:12 PM

3-bet close to 100%, and more afraid to see a 4-bet than a jam

#18 January 9th, 2020, 1:06 PM

Only in very rare cases, where I really want to pot control for ICM-reasons. Could be on the bubble, if I am the second largest stack, and the chip leader open the pot.

#19 January 10th, 2020, 5:12 AM

Of course it depends on what is happening at hand, but it is difficult not to call in this case!

#20 January 10th, 2020, 5:16 AM

if I still have a few cents to enter the next tournament in case of failure, I check

#21 January 10th, 2020, 7:57 AM

I think depending on how big the pot already was, How many players were likely to raise or shove left to act.
Your stack size...? either a hero fold, a weak call, or a semi Risky raise, to a slightly more than semi risky shove, depending on every variable you can imagine.
I would normally 3-bet, sometimes calling a reraise. Sometimes folding to one.
Sometimes calling a c-bet, and most of the time making a Cbet.

#22 January 10th, 2020, 8:29 AM

If you have many players put all in, you have pair for one or other A, fold, your seat on table is imprtant to, but it s difficult to bluff when many players are all in. Like fold KK when you have A on the flop, but every players play A.

#23 January 10th, 2020, 2:36 PM

With AK as well as with AA there are no situations where you can reset the flop or just call if there were no raises before. If you had a nice raise, you can call or go to reraise all in. Of course you will not always win with this hand. You will win the most hands. On the long distance you'll win.

#24 January 10th, 2020, 4:42 PM

Hi. I have read that in some microlimit strategies of sits or mtt suggest that AK equals the big blind. I don't know if it's correct.....

#25 March 2nd, 2020, 10:12 PM

In most cases, yes. Of course there is a case I miss.

#26 March 3rd, 2020, 7:56 AM

for me AK is overvalued

#27 March 3rd, 2020, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by vox1er

Hello everyone,
When do you call AK on open-raise ?

If you're in position, definitely 3-bet pre-flop because even if you miss the flop, you can possibly get to showdown for free. Also, you wanna take control of the hand, make the other player play at your pace.

#28 March 3rd, 2020, 3:10 PM

From my point of view my movement will always be determined by a series of factors beyond having "AK" in hand .. therefore my position and the reading I have of the opponents (passive, aggressive, etc. ..)

#29 March 3rd, 2020, 4:34 PM

there are always exceptions but in general Ak is a hand that must be played aggressively preflop. to avoid making calls by too many opponents and less good mans. on the other hand posflop, if you do not touch anything and that your adversary continues to bet. it doesn't hurt to throw that hand away. when you have a good stack. it's a very good hand to call your opponent's all-in preflop.

#30 March 4th, 2020, 6:59 AM

With AK, I always call all-in on the preflop if there are no more than two players in the game, if more than two are likely to be dropped. With each player who enters, the chances of winning decrease.

#31 March 4th, 2020, 7:28 AM

I could afford it before, but after losing many times to their weakest hands I stopped doing it)))

#32 March 4th, 2020, 7:47 AM

I probably take a little different line than most and base it on two things. How much does my opponent call 3 bets after they have raised and secondly is my AK suited or offsuit. If it is an aggressive player that will call my 3 bet a lot of 4 bet me I will call with AK and not worry about trying to take it right there. If I have suited AK I am also more likely to just call as it flops well. That does not mean that I never raise with AK suited but just saying I lean more towards calling.

Also, factor in that your opponent may have the mindset that you would never call with AK and would always raise with it. By just calling you can hide your hand value and create value on future streets.

Also brought up earlier that ICM and bubble implications have to be factored in which is also very true.

#33 March 4th, 2020, 11:45 AM

Any hand is played differently based on your position and rates before your word

#34 March 4th, 2020, 8:07 PM

Originally Posted by vox1er

Hello everyone,
When do you call AK on open-raise ?

In a freeroll on ACR , 3BB left on the button, 1 raiser and 3 callers before me I am all in, board J J 10 Q 9, opps have A3 KJ 77 55 I win with Str8 Gotta love it. Do you ever call AK on preflop?

#35 March 8th, 2020, 4:17 AM

yes, mostly 40%/30% when in position AK offsuit is a call for me. suited AK against one player is mostly a 3bet and can consider flatting against 2/3 for the implied odds.

#36 March 9th, 2020, 11:59 AM

Flatting with AK is a mistake i think. Doesn't matter which position. Always a 3 bet in my opinion.

#37 March 9th, 2020, 12:07 PM

AK i call all in everytime

#38 March 10th, 2020, 6:15 AM

almost always 3 bet for me.

#39 March 10th, 2020, 9:39 AM

When the bet of the game is high, and you play against the leaders of the table, then of course I call. There are so many cases where AKs lose even to a small pair, so I think it's better to look at the flop Do you ever call AK on preflop?

#40 March 11th, 2020, 7:59 AM

Originally Posted by vox1er

Hello everyone,
When do you call AK on open-raise ?

I rarely play a call.
It is difficult to make the decision to fold AK, but sometimes it is the most rational. I was watching on the TV hand, when after a long thought, Daniel Negreanu folded AK before the flop. The opponent had pocket kings.
For example,if you type on a poker odd calculator AKo vs 96o (which are not strong pocket cards), you will see that the odds are 65% vs 35%. From three hands in a one-to-one game you will win two and your opponent one. AK is one of the strongest, but in our eyes, still an overpriced combination of pocket cards.
I play a lot of different situations differently, but if the situation is not specific I play 3bet. Every time I bet,I usually play 3bet no matter what pocket cards I have. This makes it harder for opponents to read the power of my pocket cards, and this is a very good basis for a bluff.
Let's take an example where I would play a call. Call is a good choice if we are in a safe zone in the buble period, when the bigger prize is difficult to catch, is it too far for us? Of course, unless it's too high. If we are a short stack in the bubble period, then AK is a godsend that we must try to use. My option in this case is all in.

#41 March 11th, 2020, 9:10 AM

With the exception of an ICM or satellite situation, I am never folding AK and am happy to get it all in preflop. No hesitation.

Why? Because you really have nothing to worry about preflop with AK.

AA or KK? Psssh, iirc, at a full table, the odds of you running into either AA/KK is ~200:1 or ~1/2%. I'm not sure the odds of running into both. So, you have nothing to worry about there.

You dominate all other A/x and K/xhands, you flip with smaller pairs, and you're a ~60% favorite against all other hands. In fact, vs a 100% call range, AK/s is a 65/35 favorite.

Don't be afraid to get AK in pre.

#42 March 11th, 2020, 12:31 PM

there are many factors that influence the decision, which position. What is my stack and average, who are the opponents, what kind of action was, in a vacuum the hand is not bad, but you need to play post-flop with it well

#43 March 12th, 2020, 4:30 PM

Originally Posted by tame4g

AK is a mandatory 3bet for me in almost all cases... I might consider flatting if the opener is very tight, but even then, a 3 bet can take it down right there which makes it a worthwhile decision

Originally Posted by ssangyongpoker

mandatory 3bet with AK

Originally Posted by rj_montana

3-bet close to 100%, and more afraid to see a 4-bet than a jam

Originally Posted by nghoffman

If you're in position, definitely 3-bet pre-flop because even if you miss the flop, you can possibly get to showdown for free. Also, you wanna take control of the hand, make the other player play at your pace.

Originally Posted by Alex70793

With AK, I always call all-in on the preflop if there are no more than two players in the game, if more than two are likely to be dropped. With each player who enters, the chances of winning decrease.

Originally Posted by possle

Flatting with AK is a mistake i think. Doesn't matter which position. Always a 3 bet in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Snake2007

AK i call all in everytime

Originally Posted by ohshootmybad

With the exception of an ICM or satellite situation, I am never folding AK and am happy to get it all in preflop. No hesitation.

Why? Because you really have nothing to worry about preflop with AK.

AA or KK? Psssh, iirc, at a full table, the odds of you running into either AA/KK is ~200:1 or ~1/2%. I'm not sure the odds of running into both. So, you have nothing to worry about there.

You dominate all other A/x and K/xhands, you flip with smaller pairs, and you're a ~60% favorite against all other hands. In fact, vs a 100% call range, AK/s is a 65/35 favorite.

Don't be afraid to get AK in pre.

Most comments saying mandatory 3-bet are thinking of the standard scenario where there is an open before us, and possibly one caller.

Try this scenario out.

25k gtd 6.60 buyin.
25k starting stack.
Within the very first orbit, maybe the 5th total hand.

Sitting in SB dealt A/K suited hearts.
blind level - 50/100 10ante

UTG opens to 300
UTG+2 3bets to 900
MP1 calls
HJ min-raise 4bets to 1800
CO calls 1800
Btn 5bets to 4500
Call?? 4500
UTG calls
UTG+2 shoves
MP1 calls shove
HJ calls shove
CO calls shove
Btn calls shove
Call?? shove

board runs out Kd/3d/8d/4s/3h

Just kidding - I folded - I'm not gambling preflop on a hope and a prayer that hearts come in to beat AA, KK, JJ and 88.
I had extra bullets to fire - but I knew I was beat - thought about folding to the 4500, but odds were too good.

#44 March 12th, 2020, 6:18 PM

I play it (or attempt to play it) the same way I would play any other hand within the range for my position chipstack, how deep we are in the game and image I believe I am representing.

#45 March 12th, 2020, 6:27 PM

3bet always and played aggressive post flop against appropriate opponents. play big and win big

#46 March 12th, 2020, 7:43 PM

Against weak players or players with short stacks, an instant all-in is the best solution.

#47 March 12th, 2020, 7:54 PM

Always raise with AK in 9 player in early stage bet/raise never call, at the late stage maybe all in, in 6 player whatever is the stage of the tour 3 bet or all in. After flop maybe will be too late for your action. Remember you are playing with the second best starting hand.

#48 March 13th, 2020, 3:15 AM

Originally Posted by theANMATOR

Most comments saying mandatory 3-bet are thinking of the standard scenario where there is an open before us, and possibly one caller.

Try this scenario out.

25k gtd 6.60 buyin.
25k starting stack.
Within the very first orbit, maybe the 5th total hand.

Sitting in SB dealt A/K suited hearts.
blind level - 50/100 10ante

UTG opens to 300
UTG+2 3bets to 900
MP1 calls
HJ min-raise 4bets to 1800
CO calls 1800
Btn 5bets to 4500
Call?? 4500
UTG calls
UTG+2 shoves
MP1 calls shove
HJ calls shove
CO calls shove
Btn calls shove
Call?? shove

board runs out Kd/3d/8d/4s/3h

Just kidding - I folded - I'm not gambling preflop on a hope and a prayer that hearts come in to beat AA, KK, JJ and 88.
I had extra bullets to fire - but I knew I was beat - thought about folding to the 4500, but odds were too good.

TBH, I don't think folding AK there is bad given preflop action. As much as I like AK, its also good to be sensible as well.

But if being completely honest, I'd probably get it in pre just to gamble. Its definitely risky but picking up a 150K pot would be worth it, imo, given the prizepool. If I have extra buy-ins because I'm playing within my BR means, it just makes it easier to gamble and call. Worst case, you bust and rebuy. Best case, you're sitting pretty.

#49 March 13th, 2020, 4:42 AM

Originally Posted by ohshootmybad

TBH, I don't think folding AK there is bad given preflop action. As much as I like AK, its also good to be sensible as well.

But if being completely honest, I'd probably get it in pre just to gamble. Its definitely risky but picking up a 150K pot would be worth it, imo, given the prizepool. If I have extra buy-ins because I'm playing within my BR means, it just makes it easier to gamble and call. Worst case, you bust and rebuy. Best case, you're sitting pretty.

You echoed my exact thinking, but I just knew 3 or 4 --- or maybe even 5 of those guys had at least one ace Do you ever call AK on preflop?

- so I was flipping at the very best - and most definitely behind at least 2 of their hands, so I reluctantly folded - grumbling all the while - ACR just wants to bust me out!
Just so obvious #rigged - so many strong hands dealt at the same time. (joking of course)

Against 2 - I'd go with it and be leading the way - but against more than that - it's not out of the question that I could have been flipping with 3 other players who all had strong aces A/J, A/Q A/K, but the final results kind of reinforced that I made a good fold - although I hated it! A/K really isn't my hand anyway - KK - I'd be in the pot faster than the guy before me could say all-in.

#50 March 13th, 2020, 5:14 AM

I'm making the call if I have nothing to lose, am ITM, or have substantial stack. Make it if I have a pocket pair, or suited connectors I am fond of.

Do you ever call AK on preflop?

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