When to fold AK preflop ?

Hello guys,

I just did some calculations on ICMIZER and saw that after a 4x UTG and a shove MP for 30BB, we are to fold AKo and call AKs when speaking after with no ICM considered (still far from the money). So I was wondering when do you guys fold AK pre ?

Personally I fold AK anywhere near the bubble. If in the money I will call a raise and all in if I have other player covered. I usually try to see the flop any other time.

I think that in this case, it is useful to observe against whom we face.
If we see that they are super aggressive rivals, we should not discard our overcards in preflop.
If they are conservative players, we should observe the convenience of continuing in hand or folding.
And for that we must resort to all the information that we can gather, about the game of the active rivals that we have in hand.
It seems to me that with a stack smaller than 35 bb, it is incorrect to discard this hand in preflop.
Greetings.

vox1er said:

Hello guys,

I just did some calculations on ICMIZER and saw that after a 4x UTG and a shove MP for 30BB, we are to fold AKo and call AKs when speaking after with no ICM considered (still far from the money). So I was wondering when do you guys fold AK pre ?

Click to expand...

it depends on the position at the tournaments and it also depends on the opponent you have to follow ... for example if my chips are much bigger than my opponents at this time I think it's good to follow but if you're confronted with an opponent who can put you out of the game at this time is better wait. But it should be noted that if the big blind is ready to crash then with an AK it is advisable to take the risk. I even folded with an AA when I find myself 3 em in a tournament while we are only 50 players and it takes 5 players to leave the table for the payment, in this case I had to fold because 3 players have sent all in, so I felt that against 3 opponents my AA risk of losing and elsewhere it was a good decision

I throw out AK with a triple all-in at the table (when the pre-flop bets are all-three to all-participants). In this case, AK has quite a few chances to win.

I think the way to fold these cards is when you are close to the bubble and it has to be before an all in before the flop

I'd fold AK if it was early to mid stages, if it's a flip vs a tight player & I needed 80% of my stack to call. If it's for 50% vs 2 desperate players I'd prob. Call

vs 2 or more players I should fold. Near money I should fold too.

I fold when a super tight player 3 bet shove or 3 players are all in and I have a medium stack or when I am close to ladder up I prefer to wait for a better spot,if it is a turbo hyper mtt I don't care I am all in.

If they are short stack i push. if they are pushing me i let them go.

For me I will fold AK if early in the event and there are raises, re raised and a call or another raise and its looking like some one may have aces or kings here. Also I may be against multi people with an ace that will limit the outs I have vs a pair like queens. Late in the event I wont fold unless there are already shoves and calls with 3 or more people.

There are a few spots you might want to fold

At the beginning of a tournament I’ve started calling shoves a lot less on AK. It’s only one hand you you’ve got another 400 hands to go before you get to the final table. So a possible double up in The beginning won’t matter much if you are risking an entire tournament.

You also need to look at the players shoving. A guy that consistently shoves with mediocre hands I will call preflop. But a tight player I probably shouldn’t. He could have AA for all I know making my chance of winning slim at best.


You’re Chances of winning with AK also drops dramatically if you have a third player in the pot as well. It’s almost a 50/50 flip against a low pocket pair. You don’t want to bust on a coin toss.


Of course if you you only have 15-20 blinds the. You probably should call cause you are in need of chips and can’t risk getting much lower.


On the Bubble I would always fold cause you can freeroll the rest of the tournament just my folding a few hands. .

Hope that covered it

For me, it really depends on how the hand is developed preflop. If there are multiple players shoving or if I'm in early and I raise, and then re-raised, and then he gets re raised, I'll fold. It also depends on my opponents fold equity if they were to act against me pre-flop

I had a situation where I was in the SB and there was a bet, 3bet, and then a huge 4bet. based on the 4bet size i needed 40% equity. I didn't think I had that so i folded.

I fold AK when I am super deep stacked and there is multiple others all in or one the way to being all in. I don't see a reason to flip coins early in MTTs, if you have a specific read that might change but I fold plenty of ak's in the early stages.

It is advisable to throw out when a lot of players went all-in. There is clearly little chance of winning. Well, if you are sitting at the final table and in front of you is one of the players whose stack is bigger than yours, all-in or raise to half your stack. It will be better to sit out this time.

vox1er said:

Hello guys,

....So I was wondering when do you guys fold AK pre ?

Click to expand...

When drawing AK I look at the stage of the tournament. At an early stage often fold in the pass. Also important is the style of play of the opponent. I fold if the player is tight and plays aggressively. The ability to drop a strong AK hand on the preflop can be very beneficial in the long run.:fight:

vox1er said:

Hello guys,

I just did some calculations on ICMIZER and saw that after a 4x UTG and a shove MP for 30BB, we are to fold AKo and call AKs when speaking after with no ICM considered (still far from the money). So I was wondering when do you guys fold AK pre ?

Click to expand...

I think you really have to consider the playing styles of the players involved when making this decision. In my opinion, the tighter the 3 bettor is the easier the fold it is whether suited or not. Some times it is a trivially easy fold, sometimes it is a snap call, To me, the fact that it is suited or not will not factor into my decision very often. In my experience though, shoving with AK is far more plus EV than calling with it, by quite alot. I rarely put the all my chips in as a call and this has worked out fairly well for me over time.

Hello, in a major tournament bubble might fold AK, in another situation, against two players who were all in, tambiem would think in fold.

Hi There
I Think that AK is a premium hand
Obviously near the buble is difficult to face any bet and therefore fold is better
Other situations all in
Rgds

Unless I’m short stacked, I usually fold when multiple people start all-inning or raising since that usually means I end up playing behind since they most likely have big pairs(or even just a little one really). Though I’d be tempted to call if just a couple people start battling it out.

When you're the big stack or second high stack at the table and you're up against the other big stack.

Foldo near the bubble if the villain has chips to eliminate me, otherwise chips in the cloth!

AK off is a tricky hand. It has great value in an all-in situation, but as a playing hand I find it hard to get long term value. Probably just me playing it bad...