AK and AQ in 3-bet or 4-bet hand

M

miku

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Total posts
34
Chips
0
Hi guys! I have several times found myself from a situtation where I don't really know what to do with AK and AQ on the flop.

Especially, when I have 3-bet with them IP and the flop has really nothing to offer me and when i have c-bet the flop, aggressive regs keep raising low board. In 5nl this happens frequently, so is something like reraise bluff sometimes the correct move. Of course they have pocket pairs, like JJ-55 or even lower to call the 3-bet, but after all, they represent so small part of their range and usually, if they have not hit a set I will have 6 outs, and in the best case BDFD too, so 24-27% maybe.

What is your advice for these situations? Is it usually just fold or is it right to take aggressive line?
 
AMTTT

AMTTT

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 31, 2018
Total posts
132
Chips
0
Hi, usually, if I do not get on the flop with AK or AQ opponent to throw off his hand raised, but if allows the stack, and you can call to make, but it all depends on the size of the raise on the flop
 
R

rmcneice

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 30, 2018
Total posts
218
Chips
0
IP check to me I will take the free card 90% of the time with a small bluff if I have a straight or nut flush backdoor. a little more bluff with a one card draw to the nuts but not above 1/3 pot.

If they lead out on the flop it's strictly an odds call. If they price me out I'm done.
 
P

Pablo22

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
May 1, 2018
Total posts
1,264
Chips
0
It can be tough to play post flop when out of position. If I 3 bet out of the blinds with AK AQ, I size it bigger to give the villain odds to fold. It also helps to have some history and a read on your opponents in these types of hands. Good luck.
 
G

Gabe16

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Total posts
156
Chips
0
It depends on villain and whether your playing your range or that hand.

Ip in low spr pots (somewhere between 3.5-5.5 is usual in a 3B pot 100bb deep) I go for a small bet with range on all boards.

In low spr spots we need to push our overall range equity/advantage more and worry about nut advantage less. This is a function of the spr as going broke is never a huge mistake, so we get to be hyper aggressive.
 
tauri103

tauri103

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Total posts
2,144
Awards
1
Chips
24
AK and AQ are favorites in many situations, but you still have to be careful because good poker players know they can win small wins, but especially big losses with both hands, even if your two cards are actually strong, you do not have a hand made. These hands are often abusively played by a large number of players, you must be able to not be over evaluated and gauge their potential at the moment. desired. In some situations you will have to throw them away without any remorse.
 
X

xRanieri

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Total posts
89
Chips
0
Yeah playing AK/AQ in a 4-bet pot is quite difficult when you don't hit anything, and I'm talking no backdoor flushes or gutshots, or any of that. This is an extremely hard situation to be in, but there's a few factors that can help:

1. Board Texture
2. Position
3. Stats
4. Opponents Range (did he call or did you call?)

In terms of board texture, we got so many different types of whiffed flops. I gotta write a whole guide on this topic, but boards like 5h6h7h and 8s8d2h are completely different boards when you have AcKc, for example.

Position is also important, but if you're IP, the opponent's check doesn't really mean anything. Obviously, a donk or a check/raise are difficult to play against. The normal situation IP is that you're checked to, and the decision is to c-bet or check back. This is again an extremely advanced discussion that needs a guide on its own.

Stats play a good role, and different stats are needed depending on the different situation (Here's an exaggerated Ex. If CO opens, you got AK on the BTN and 3-bet, and he's got a 0% Foldv3Bet, 90% Callv3Bet, and 10% 4-bet, you can kinda assume he's calling 3-bets with a huge range, stuff like 76s or 33)

Anyways, this is a hard question. Really it is.
 
G

Gabe16

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Total posts
156
Chips
0
Yeah playing AK/AQ in a 4-bet pot is quite difficult when you don't hit anything, and I'm talking no backdoor flushes or gutshots, or any of that. This is an extremely hard situation to be in, but there's a few factors that can help:

1. Board Texture
2. Position
3. Stats
4. Opponents Range (did he call or did you call?)

In terms of board texture, we got so many different types of whiffed flops. I gotta write a whole guide on this topic, but boards like 5h6h7h and 8s8d2h are completely different boards when you have AcKc, for example.

Position is also important, but if you're IP, the opponent's check doesn't really mean anything. Obviously, a donk or a check/raise are difficult to play against. The normal situation IP is that you're checked to, and the decision is to c-bet or check back. This is again an extremely advanced discussion that needs a guide on its own.

Stats play a good role, and different stats are needed depending on the different situation (Here's an exaggerated Ex. If CO opens, you got AK on the BTN and 3-bet, and he's got a 0% Foldv3Bet, 90% Callv3Bet, and 10% 4-bet, you can kinda assume he's calling 3-bets with a huge range, stuff like 76s or 33)

Anyways, this is a hard question. Really it is.



Is it that difficult in a 4B pot. The spr will be around 2?
 
FerC182

FerC182

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Total posts
137
Chips
0
Hi guys! I have several times found myself from a situtation where I don't really know what to do with AK and AQ on the flop.

Especially, when I have 3-bet with them IP and the flop has really nothing to offer me and when i have c-bet the flop, aggressive regs keep raising low board. In 5nl this happens frequently, so is something like reraise bluff sometimes the correct move. Of course they have pocket pairs, like JJ-55 or even lower to call the 3-bet, but after all, they represent so small part of their range and usually, if they have not hit a set I will have 6 outs, and in the best case BDFD too, so 24-27% maybe.

What is your advice for these situations? Is it usually just fold or is it right to take aggressive line?





depends on your position. ex: if you are in the HJ or button try not to play very strong against the BB if he has more chips than you because most of the time you make a 3-bet on BB and he will pay then to be aggressive with AK and AQ It's good but it depends on your position.
 
Mikeisanace777

Mikeisanace777

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Total posts
150
Chips
0
With aq/ak off suit it's not a great hand post flop usually. When you have ak/aq on the button let's say and raise 5x and get 3 callers and the flop is 8-10-4 rainbow ,or J-7-9 same then your hand sucks and should be folded to any reraise usually. You can call if it's just bet,call,call on you.. No big deal you assume draws such straights trying to hit,but usually one pair and maybe 2 pair, but only from the original bettor not the second caller. Your trying to spike A queen or a king on the turn. If you hit now your have top pair in the lead. AJ on the J-7-9 cant win with a river ace and your in the lead 8-10-4 board now has A-10 behind and he's crushed if the river flows to an ACE either way. If the original bettor had J-7 or 8-10 he might fear the turn q-k and bet marginally giving you the right pot odds to call and get lucky and counterfeit his 2 pair or trip up.

Generally speaking most players have the goods or a huge draw justifying a reraise so you need to think in a progressive manner on how good your hand can be and how vulnerable is it. Being behind to a second best hand with your nut potential is ok to call with, but if the board is 7-8-10 and it has 2 diamonds in there then it's has so many variables to the re raiser. He could have 5-6 off suit k-J suited or A-7 suited with one pair and the nut flush draw. That's how I visualize ak-aq post flop on that board a turn ace gives him 2 pair with only one card to come and the other guy still has many out's to the flush so 2 pair for you loses more than it wins with those variables.

If your out of position and call a 4-5 bet you can assume b+ hands galore like 77 or better and over pairs to weak boards. If a player has lots of chips floating hands like 78 off suit can occur. On missed flops with those variables out of position with hits like 7-5-9 then sets are real in there,then over pairs,then flush draws and finally weak straight draws. Being suited is better to call with aq/ak by far to give your hand future potential on missed boards negating over pairs and sets adding implied odds and justifying luck if you happen to get a river Ace to QQ and everyone missed. Bottom line your hand needs potential and out position your going to need to flop A-Q-8 to re raise and take it or gamble on 10-j-6 for broadway which is only ok if the board has no texture.
 
Last edited:
Dusan

Dusan

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Total posts
40
Chips
0
When the Flop Comes with Rags

Say that you have re-raised with A-K from the back and one or two people have called your 3bet. The board comes 9-7-3, three suits. They both check. What do you do with your A-K?

I don’t care whether or not you’ve 3bet before the flop, you never c-bet A-K when the flop comes with three rags and been called in two places. If you’ve re-raised the pot going in, your opponents has some kind of hands or they wouldn’t have called you. They didn’t have a 4bet hand or they would have reraised you before the flop with AA or KK, so you can put them on anything from queens on down with pairs. They may even have an A-Q or A-J, but it is more likely that they hold a pair. Now, if you fire at this board, they’re liable to raise or call you—and you don’t have anything. By betting, you have shut off your opportunity to get a free turn card and possibly make your hand. If you check-check, you have found out information without costing you anything. An aggressive player may have a tendency to fire on that 9-7-3 flop heads-up, that’s his style of play. But you can burn up a lot of chips that way. I don’t continue with A-K unless I flop a hand that relates to it in some way.
 
dbchristy

dbchristy

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 27, 2015
Total posts
1,158
Chips
0
Imma make this short and sweet. They are over valued hands on ACR, and easy to get it all in. Know your players, and pick your spots. It is after all , A drawing hand.
 
C

corieaddison

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Total posts
105
Chips
0
I would try not 3betting the hand and see how that goes. if you 3bet and they 4bet depending on how many players are in the hand, stack depths... I would jam or see a flop. if you see a flop after a 4bet pre hand, they check, checking back is not a bad thing, if they bet depending on the size, folding is not a bad thing.
 
G

gryphon3005

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 3, 2018
Total posts
353
Chips
0
Sounds like the "regs" are assuming your pre-flop 3 bet range is mostly broadway cards just like AT+, KT+. When that board you describe arrives they see as ripe for the picking so they raise your c-bet with any 2 cards. If you continue with an aggressive raise I'm guessing they won't believe your story and either re-raise or call with a plan to hammer the turn. I would suggest mixing things up by limping pre-flop with AK or AQ. Call any raise and go to the flop. If that low board appears the shoe is now on the other foot. If you're ip you now have the option to raise any c-bet or you can float to the river and then hammer the pot.
 
A

amitmanchanda

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Total posts
312
Awards
1
Chips
229
Both hands are duds on a rainbow flop of non face cards. It is about situation of the game and your stack.

At the end, poker always have a luck card active, no matter how better you strategize or play, you will always end up in coin flip situations and will loose more often than winning (at least in your head :) )
 
stylebender72

stylebender72

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Total posts
218
Chips
0
it depends on the board's texture and your and your opponent's ranges so there is no accurate answer to your question unfortunately
 
T

tolayn83

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Total posts
293
Chips
0
If the stack and allows the other players checked, you just need to make a bet, or you will be eaten. If the stack is small, it is best to check.
 
Starting Hands - Poker Hand Nicknames Rankings - Poker Hands
Top