$5 NLHE MTT Deep Stacked: KK on A high flop

[vox1er]

How do you play this hand and KK on A high flop in general?

BTN: 185 BB
SB: 202.5 BB
BB: 130 BB
UTG: 100 BB
Hero (MP): 144.5 BB
CO: 108 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K

K

fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, SB raises to 9 BB, fold, Hero raises to 18 BB, SB calls 9 BB

Flop: (37 BB, 2 players) 8

A

J

SB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (37 BB, 2 players) 9

SB bets 22 BB, Hero calls 22 BB

River: (81 BB, 2 players) 5

SB bets 61 BB, fold

SB wins 78 BB

 

[skeptix]

Tough spot but I think you played it fine. There should be some bets on this flop, if you always check back your KK you're giving up too much information.

 

[ammje]

I think you played very well, AQ fits very well in the villain's range.
You lost some chips, but you're still in the tournament, that's the important thing.

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Your 4bet sizing to 18bb is way too small. I'd go 25-30bb instead.

Post flop looks good.

 

[Brawo]

I think you played very well. Can you answer me, how often you made c-bet? If rare, I would make c-bet around 28BB (2/3 pot, you have to win 45% cases) it is more about 6BB than you call raise on the turn, but you receive much more information, if he would call you let the hand go. It is only speculation.

 

[Jacki Burkhart]

preflop your 4bet needs to be much bigger. like 27bb

checking back flop is mandatory he most likely 3bet/called with Ax or a pocket pair and JJ and 88 are beating you too. you're only beating 99,TT,QQ maybe 66,77

turn is a 9 so one more PP you don't beat. if hes a really straightforward player you can even fold this turn lead but he could be leading with draws (again I think preflop he had more Ax and PPs than random suited connectors but still).

On this turn vs the right villain I'm folding but vs good players or unknowns I'm calling.

River is a good fold. He won't be bluffing enough with this sizing for us to show a profit and he won't be value betting QQ or TT. all we have is a bluff catcher and if we are gonna catch some bluffs weak aces are better. (if we even 4bet any weak aces...? A4s?)

 

[Jacki Burkhart]

The problem is your hand looks exactly like KK,QQ. so a savvy villain can bet anything. in reality, however, most players aren't capable of exploiting this about your play.

a more GTO line would be to 4bet bigger, then Cbet small on the flop (like 25-33%) then attempt to check it down. I'm not saying you should attempt GTO in $5 tourneys...these spots just suck. I think the biggest error is the small 4bet preflop.

 

[zekubiki]

postflop played good, but 4-bet should be 24-27bb.

 

[mara2259]

Ace is not the way. But after the flop, it was still worth checking where you are. After the check, the initiative passed to the villain. Protecting your hand, you never knew what he had.

 

[Lugubrious]

You showed weakness on the flop and your opp pounced you should most likely c-bet most players in these SSMTT's check/fold alot of flops and that's where you would get your info also once you bet flop it should be around 60%

 

[Alaercio da Rocha]

I'm a bit of a layperson in the business of writing English but I think you played very well. I believe that the villain would not have AA but would have allin pre flop maybe AK or JJ and cracked the turn but I believe you were losing pos-flop and played the best way possible.

 

[SuzdalDEcor]

Your 4bet sizing to 18bb is way too small. I'd go 25-30bb instead.

Post flop looks good.

Thats true. You have position and you have 145bb eff stack.
Flop you must cbet 1/4 of pot with all range - all top pairs, all 2 pairs, all set, all second pairs and dro.

 

[zuker]

preflop 4bet 3x3bet.
flop you have to cbet any resonable size. if you don`t cbet after 4betting its like walking with banner "I HAVE NO ACE"

 

[c0rnBr34d]

Sick board. Agree the 4 bet needs to be larger, it may solve some problems but not all. The good news is V shouldn't have any flush or straight draws on this board. As such I'm not sure if I take one stab at this pot or not. We can rep JJ, and AK. Since we aren't scared of any drawing hands it may be easier to play this way. It's really hard to soul read V when we are passive post flop. It lets KK and QQ steal easily. We probably lose less by betting flop and folding to any raise and shutting down turn / river. In real time I don't mind our line though. A lot of this depends on the V too. Many players will fold AQ to a 4 bet. Many players will also 5 bet AK. If this is the type of player to fold AQ then I really like a flop bet.

 

[chiefmax]

Like everyone else mentioned I'd go for a bigger 4-bet preflop. Postflop either 25%-35% C-Bet/fold, or check flop and fold turn. It's a tough spot as it is and thats why i like a small C-bet to know exactly where you are in the hand as he is likely to fold without an A given your preflop aggression. When you call the turn you are 1. putting money in the pot, 2. giving him the lead, and 3. you still dont know where you are at. If you are willing to put money in the pot i would prefer a C-bet on the flop as you are gaining much more information and it makes the situation clearer. If you dont C-bet the flop i would rather fold the turn because calling doesn't accomplish much other than hoping that its a bluff. And if it is a bluff chances are he wont give up on the turn and you will still have to fold the river.