Playing AK aggressively pre-flop

[BelgoSuisse]

Because many authors recommend playing AK aggressively pre-flop, I tend to bet as I would AA or KK. But it doesn't seem to be very profitable in the long run. My PT stats shows AKo as my 36th most profitable hand in terms of BB/hand, just after K8o and 65s. Not exactly what one would expect from such a strong hand.

Typical example would be the following hand. How should I answer the 550 raise from BTN? fold, call, raise ? In a more general way, how do you play AK?


Stacks:
BTN with 1500
SB with 1505
BB with 1315
UTG with 2900
UTG+1 with 1225
MP1 with 935
MP2 with 1880
CO with 2240

Blinds:
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Dealt to UTG:A♥ K♦
Sklansky group 2
Preflop:
Hero raises to 150
3 players fold.
CO calls [150]
BTN raises to 550
2 players fold.
Hero raises to 2,900, and is all in
1 players fold.
BTN calls [950] [ all-in ] Hero shows :
A♥ K♦ BTN shows :
K♣ K♠ Uncalled bet of 1,400 returned to Hero
Total folds this street: 6
Potsize: 4625
Flop:
10♣ 5♥ 10♥
Potsize: 4625
Turn:
5♠
Potsize: 4625
River:
8♣
Hero shows two pair, Tens and Fives
BTN shows two pair, Kings and Tens BTN wins the pot (3,225) with two pair, Kings and Tens

 

[shinedown.45]

I limp in EP/MP depending on my reads and raise from LP which I learned from reading this https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/big-slick-75292/

 

[Jillychemung]

AK is a post-flop hand. How you bet it preflop depends on how the table is playing, your perceived image, stack sizes, tournament status and player reads.

As played I would have folded to the reraise unless I had a read that the villian was 3-betting thin.

 

[BelgoSuisse]

and if you limp from EP and get raised, do you plan to call or reraise?

 

[feitr]

i would still raise from EP, otherwise you risk being in a multiway limped pot, which AK is trash vs. Flat call the raise because AK is not a hand that you want to go AI with, unless you are vs AQ-. It should be pretty easy to throw away AK if you don't hit TPTK/flush draw.

 

[19RK64]

really most of it depends what stakes you are playing and what type of players you are up against, I try to change up!, I guess, for the most part, I limp, 6 out of 10 times UTG & UTG+2, mid 2 to 4 X BB, late if some one has raised but not much, I will try to narrow the field down to just us, if no one has raised, 4 to5 x BB late pos. if I missed the flop, if it checked to me I goin to throw a feeler bet out their, just above half the pot, (sweeten the pot), most the time your take it their..

if I hit top pair, if their are any drawy boards! Im going to put bet out their, of at least 70% of the pot, or pot, sometimgs even over!.

These opponents that chase, they hit some, but they will lose 3 out of 4, and if you give them pot odds to call, they will never lose chasing, so take their odds away, again IT DEPENDS, how the table is playing & what it takes to get the opponents to respect..

 

[Steveg1976]

here is another link i think you will find useful

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/value-ak-suited-97972/

 

[ripclawph]

tough raise dude! i would have just called that raise from btn and check the flop 1st.
from there i will start to weigh him by either checking after the flop or bet 75% of
the pot... if he calls or raises then he must be cooking something on that hand. your
in a bad position anyways and better to throw those hands of if he bets again...

 

[beardyian]

I would normally raise with it, but with a loose table with lots of limpers i may limp also hoping to catch a good flop.

It all depends on the flop really - as i heard someone say one 'never get married to a hand' if you miss the flop but think your oppo weak, pop out a continuation bet.

If you do miss the flop and are facing a raise, do not be afraid to lay it down, its better to save your chips for another hand then push them in hoping to hit.

After all AK is big but by itself it is nothing, you still need help to come from the deck.

Play it strong but be prepared to fold it

GL

 

[NineLions]

AK has the unique ability to not be far behind any hands except AA, and to a lesser extent KK. It dominates any other Ax hand and is a coinflip with other pocket pairs.

In other words, play it fast preflop. Raise, reraise, fold if you believe your opponent could only have AA/KK, or, it's early in a tourney and the blinds are low and you feel survival is more important (ie. you're pretty sure you can out play your opponents if you as time goes on if you get the chance). If you're playing at an aggressive table like 6 handed, don't fold preflop as you may not be able to tell if your opponent has AA/KK/AQ, or even lesser hands.

 

[PoSInC]

I think his raise screams he has pockets so you should have called and hope for a good flop AK is worth nothing without a good flop