Folding AK?

So I’m in the process of adapting from cash to MTTs & working on my leaks. It seems that every tournament I find myself in a scenario where I’m facing a shove with AK and I’m unclear if it’s always a call. The last three times I’ve been up against AA or KK despite the apparent card removal.

Now there are scenarios where calling a shove is a no brainer. Like >40bb+ facing a <10bb shove.

However, are there any scenarios you’re laying it down? If you’ve stats that show villain is super tight? What if you’re >40bb deep & are shoved on by villain who covers you?

One factor I would add is how are you feeling against your current table and the competition within the tournament? If you are feeling that you are getting pushed around and are at a disadvantage you would be more open to calling a jam with a hand like this and roll the dice more. With all things being equal it is usually not a good call with any decent depth effective stacks. You mention 40 BB in your post and that seems reasonable to me but I think you might be even able to lower it to 30 BB. As you probably already know, calling jams is much different than jamming yourself as fold equity is out the window. Base the call on effective stack sizes, looseness of the opponent, and how you feel you are skill wise against your opponents.

You also did not mention the buy in of tournament you are playing either. The lower the buy in of the tournament the more prone players are to just going with hands even if they are not premium.

There is never an easy answer as you get deeper stacked. If the guy has been shoving lite all along I will call an over 50BB shove but after that I will fold as I know i can do better not gambling my chips.

Luv To Overplay AK All Day !

rickblackdog said:

So I’m in the process of adapting from cash to MTTs & working on my leaks. It seems that every tournament I find myself in a scenario where I’m facing a shove with AK and I’m unclear if it’s always a call. The last three times I’ve been up against AA or KK despite the apparent card removal.

Now there are scenarios where calling a shove is a no brainer. Like >40bb+ facing a <10bb shove.

However, are there any scenarios you’re laying it down? If you’ve stats that show villain is super tight? What if you’re >40bb deep & are shoved on by villain who covers you?

Click to expand...

I love AK. When it hits it is often the winner.

Having said that - I can fold it preflop in live 1/3 and 2/5 cash games. Unless my opponent has proven to be very loose.

In other words - in cash game - why am I gambling 50/50 for money?

But in a tournament - those chips are so valuable - and did I mention that I love to overplay AK? lol - If I am the original raiser I don't want the table to think that I am afraid of flipping. So I am often willing to get my stack in.

In general you should not see AA and KK again in your opponent's hand for a long time.

And of course the best outcome is we have AK vs. AJ and AT - and nobody improves!

Good luck !

rickblackdog said:

The last three times I’ve been up against AA or KK despite the apparent card removal.

Click to expand...

Do you think, that mean, tournament players are only jamming AA and KK? If the answer is no, then its just variance over a small sample.

I regard AK as a shoving hand and not one for calling a shove with. I might call if it's on my big blind and only the small blind is in and shoves. But I don't like it. It looks good that's all, it's ace hi at the end of the day

Do not get married to AK.. Everyone believes this is a strong hand but it really isn't

I would rather have a pair than AK (depending on what pair of course)'

The myth about AK in tournaments is you must see all 5 cards on the board so AK is a hand to play only if you are willing to commit your chips pre or post flop.. or shove pre in this scenario

gut check..

If you've got AK, are well stacked, sure, you play it automatically. But if you are in any stack danger, you've got a "feel" for the opponents, maybe an intuition, something's just not right, laying down AK may be the right move, at that time.

AK is a good starting hand, but not the best. Look in the programs how it costs preflop against other cards (opponent's range)

I like this hand and play it strongly.. Unless Im close to the money and short stacked. I have folded it many times.

Some times to play AK passively or just fold:

A tight player raises UTG with 50bb. In this spot, it's usually better to just call rather than isolate yourself against the strongest part of his range.

A tight player has 3-bet an early position raiser or 4-bet anyone. In this spot, it's usually better to just fold given how tight his range is likely to be.

Anybody who covers you shoves at a final table or 9-man bubble when there's an extremely short stack who's folded. In this spot, also fold due to ICM.

If you're unsure, play the hand aggressively and be willing to get it in. Like you point out, you block KK and AA and particularly at low-stakes will usually be getting it in as a favorite or flip -- even if sometimes it seems like they always have it