When to fold AK?

The HERO is in late position. He is dealt A-K.The VILLAIN limps in from middle-position.
The HERO makes a standard raise of three times the size of the big blind. All fold around to the VILLAIN, who calls.
Head-up action.
The flop comes K - 8 - 4 (rainbow). This is a very good flop for the HERO. The VILLAIN checks. The HERO makes a pot-sized bet. The VILLAIN check-raises "all-in."

(Note: This is a no-limit holdem tournament during the middle stages. Both players have average stack sizes)

If you are the HERO, what do you do in this spot?

No stats, no reads ?
In general smells like villain has a set or also top pair.
Calling or folding really depends on reads.

If you don't have any read on the opponent then it depends on the stack sizes .. if it does not hurt your stack very much then it is an easy call ... If it is for your tournament life then you should fold.

Since you mentioned that both of you have average stacks then i think it is best to fold.

If more 40bb you still can fold AK, if less need play on whole stack,,,

Very nice situation. Like a chess puzzle.

I believe this is a 50 50 situation. Either youre way ahead or way behind.

If no read, Ill go with the stakes and your present stacks with respect to bubble.

joe777 said:

The HERO is in late position. He is dealt A-K.The VILLAIN limps in from middle-position.
The HERO makes a standard raise of three times the size of the big blind. All fold around to the VILLAIN, who calls.
Head-up action.
The flop comes K - 8 - 4 (rainbow). This is a very good flop for the HERO. The VILLAIN checks. The HERO makes a pot-sized bet. The VILLAIN check-raises "all-in."

(Note: This is a no-limit holdem tournament during the middle stages. Both players have average stack sizes)

If you are the HERO, what do you do in this spot?

Click to expand...

Hi !

When reading the above, I would definitely say that you should

>>>Call >>> when you have certain history with the player and he like to bluff a lot or Re-Raise AI with pairs after not hitting set >>> otherwise

>>>Fold >>> when no history on Villain
>>> when risking getting out of tournament

In my opinion You should have folded as it seems he had pair of 8s(preF) ..as just limping > then calling> after hitting set he slow played it > then showing with set of 8s

Anyway Good Luck @Tables !!!

heads up villain sb heero bb villain withou pot

Like these guys said about the read, and I might add take into consideration what read he may have on you. If he's seen you play a tight game and the king on board doesn't scare him it might be time to pick another spot Like so many of the questions asked on this forum the answer is "it depends".

Well it really depends on the villians game and the spr. If the spr is small you will be more likely to call, depending con the villians game. If the villian is a solid player it is very probably he has a set (a set of 4s likely because he limped).

Depends on how the villain is playing. why not to pay the player without reading. I'm not reading it off is the best move, since both have almost the same amount of chips.

For me it's most likely a call. There is a fair chance he has the same hand

you say you are average stack...but I need to know in terms of how many BBs. There are times when even an average stack only has 20bbs....the shallower the stacks the more you have to consider TPTK a monster.

Without a draw present, with a deep stack I'm inclined to fold AK when check raised in that spot. that is, provided I'll still have a workable stack after folding.

If there was a draw present, I'm more likely to call figuring he's on a draw. and if i've already got more than 40% my stack in there after making a Cbet I probably can't fold unless I have a great read.

not enough information to go on, depends entirely on the villain, your image and so many other factors, in general I would probably be inclined to call, as i don't see why anybody would ever shove a set on a dry rainbow flop but as i said it depends.

sure call

I will also say this is fifty fifty.

Info about opponant is very important here.

Could look like a bluff when he goes all in he could try to avoid show down.

If he gots a set he should have raised 3-4 bb to get value.

Could be a king kicker Proberbly lower or he should have raised preflop.

60/40 make the call

By the way I had almost this exact sane thing happen to me recently in Vegas. Villain I could tell was getting frustrated because I was table captain and I had already raised his limps a few times. We are in the 2nd level, so pretty deep stacked.

So he limps again, I raise with AK on button. Visibly Frustrated, he calls. Heads up, Flop comes K84 rainbow. He checks I Cbet and he ships for like 10x the pot. I tanked. It just smelled so weak. Would a set really blast off like that on a dry flop? No 2 pair combos made any sense. I finally decide he must have either the same hand or a worse K and I call. He had KQ and I hold up.

If they thought I was table bully before...it got way worse after that! It was a very risky call on my part as I usually try to not get my stack in with just 1 pair if I can help it...but I went with my read and that hand catapulted me to the final table in a 300+ player tourney.

I would call it, if he has better hand, congrats to him and lets go to another.

Like others have said, it is really read dependent. But, with the limited info you have provided, and assuming you are/were properly bankrolled to play this game, I would be making the call. Him check/shoving here, IMO, screams weakness! There is always the possibility he has hit a set, but I doubt he would be shoving with it, on this board. If I'm wrong, then just fire up another MTT and it's on to the next one!

"It depends".

Feeling lucky?

It's according if its a tight player pushing all in that I've seen only play premium hands earlier in the game, or if its a loose aggressive player that you have seen buying a lot of pots.If its a tight player pushing all in,I'm folding.That player could have AA ,a set,or 2 pair.If its a loose aggressive player that I think I have a good read on from watching his/her action from previous hands ,I'm calling.

Depends what your opponent has and how you've been playing. When I play aggressive a lot,most of them feel like I'm bluffing most of the time even when I'm not. Your opponent might have A8, KX, or even 8X and might have raised all in thinking that you're c-betting. Or he might have 2 pair. If my opponent was weak, i would call. If he was strong, i would think a little and then call

I think also it depends at most on reading the opponent. I think in most cases I would call. But if I know that my opponent is playing very carefully I would maybe fold. It's a hard decision, but when you have a good stack you can afford it to fold.

i had AK get cracked too many times today on bovada. in tourneys and in zonepoker cash. .10/.25 .

if you play turbo SNG 9HND OR 6MAX NL on bovada then you know what i mean. I hate being dealt when its later in a sng after a few rounds and players are shoving wide.

OK... to fold AK... I dont Know... If I know whos the guys in table and have a bag feelings... maybe. But its difficult to me.

OK... to fold AK... I dont Know... If I know whos the guys in table and have a bag feelings... maybe. But its difficult to me. :eating: