$55 NLHE MTT: $ : $ : 55$ nightly stars AK in MP after UTG+2 raise

[vis]

For some reason I can't find this hand in my HH so I'll just explain it to you, it might be very standard but it got me thinking.

UTG+2 Villain (decent TAG also plays the bigger ones such as sunday 500 etc, but not a big winner): ~44000
UTG+3 Hero (taggy): ~22000

Blinds 300/600 ante 50
Average ~21000
Close to bubble

Hand:
UTG+2 raises to 1200
UTG+3 holds AKo -> ?

To me I didn't want to flat because there were a few shortstacks on the table who might shove which could lead to Villain overshoving and me not knowing what to do.
On the other hand I didn't want to raise because it puts me in an awkward spot if he reraises or shoves.

Thoughts?

 

[RamdeeBen]

If there are a few short stacks behind, it might be ok to flat but given our position and so many left to act we don't want to see limps behind and a multiway pot so I'd be inclined to go for a 3B and would probably go for a flat in later positions if there was short stacks in the blinds who are likely going to shove over a decent wide range. The issue shouldn't be if the short stacks shove over and makes UTG+1 then shove over this should be our hope and plan if we took the line of flatting and it would be a good spot to be in, not bad as we just snap call it off and be happy with it.

Not sure where's the awkward spot if he re-raise or shoves on you? We have like 30BB, even vs his UTG range which might be quite tight, getting AK all in for 30BB is a nice spot to be in.

Just 3B, hope he calls with worse and we value town him or he just shoves with those worse hands/medium pairs which we happily take a flip with. If he wakes up with QQ+ then it's just a cooler situation but don't focus on that. We are just looking for the most profitable line and this is it.

 

[vis]

If there are a few short stacks behind, it might be ok to flat but given our position and so many left to act we don't want to see limps behind and a multiway pot so I'd be inclined to go for a 3B and would probably go for a flat in later positions if there was short stacks in the blinds who are likely going to shove over a decent wide range. The issue shouldn't be if the short stacks shove over and makes UTG+1 then shove over this should be our hope and plan if we took the line of flatting and it would be a good spot to be in, not bad as we just snap call it off and be happy with it.

Not sure where's the awkward spot if he re-raise or shoves on you? We have like 30BB, even vs his UTG range which might be quite tight, getting AK all in for 30BB is a nice spot to be in.

Just 3B, hope he calls with worse and we value town him or he just shoves with those worse hands/medium pairs which we happily take a flip with. If he wakes up with QQ+ then it's just a cooler situation but don't focus on that. We are just looking for the most profitable line and this is it.

Just feels like im always racing here when going all in as he never shoves with AQ here

 

[Arjonius]

Just feels like im always racing here when going all in as he never shoves with AQ here

So you're usually racing for stacks when he shoves, and often ahead with both position and initiative going to the flop if he calls. Is this bad?

 

[RamdeeBen]

Just feels like im always racing here when going all in as he never shoves with AQ here

Yeah, but there will be times you're ahead too and occasionally you're going to behind but given our blockers chances are we're flipping at worse or have more equity.

Flipping at worse more times than not for 30bb is a fine spot to be in and we just have to take these spots nearly always especially in MTT's given chip accumulation is key to winning these things. To fold in this spot for example just to limp in the money is the incorrect strategy for having a good ROI% in MTT's.

 

[m1neturtle]

I think I'd flat with the intention of calling off if the shortstacks shove, and folding if the shorty shoves and the opener comes over the top. With 30BB we still have a perfectly playable stack, and especially against these tourney donks, who typically aren't as good postflop, I wouldn't be too keen on gambling preflop here for my tournament life. However, if you're not quite as comfortable postflop there's certainly nothing wrong with getting the money in pre. I mean, it's a tournament and you have AK. It's almost never a mistake to get the money in.

 

[vis]

And what if the raiser 4bets to around 6k?

 

[X at Tripaces]

And what if the raiser 4bets to around 6k?

If he 4bets, then you ask yourself if you want to limp into the money, or GAMBLE for the possibility of setting yourself up for a deep push. if he only 4 bets to 6k... you assume hes not holding AA or KK.. (would probably bet more here IMO) so your still looking at a coinflip. I would be inclined to shove, a flat call on the 4 bet does no good IMO. Your super close to being commited with your stack with the call.

 

[vis]

He did 4bet to 6.xK, I shoved, and he snapped off with aa. And it was a crying shove, it felt like it had to be KK/AA when he 4bet there. But my mind told me I can never fold AK with 30bbs somehow :s

 

[MasterOfDisaster]

Dutch? Cause vis means fish in my language?

And welcome on CC.

 

[vis]

Dutch? Cause vis means fish in my language?

And welcome on CC.

Yup

 

[Jacki Burkhart]

something I think that not enough players recognize is that the shallower the stacks...the more "cooler" situations arise just because you cannot get away.

With 100 bbs JJ vs. AA all in preflop is not necessarily a cooler, as you could be reasonably expected to have some room to get away.

with 10 BBs JJ vs AA all in preflop is definitely a cooler.

I think that at 30bbs AK vs AA is just a cooler. Don't let the results of this one hand shy you away from AK, or shy you away from a profitable line. AK is a great tournament hand to be shoving with preflop in shallower stacked situations, the real POWER of AK is that you are almost never folding it preflop because you're almost never in bad shape. Because of this you get to have the comfort of playing it very aggressively which, by itself will cause many hands to fold that have reasonable equity against you.

so...me? I 3bet. Once he 4bets, we are too pot committed to fold. Yes, if we somehow KNEW he had AA we could fold to the 4bet but a lot of player's 4bet range will include AK, QQ, JJ so it's possible we're in bad shape but it's possible we're not.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen players 3bet, 4bet and then 5bet all in and they both turn over AK.

I don't think the presence of short stacks should make you more timid in this hand. AK is a great hand to have vs. a short stack's range...they might even push with AJ.