I recently played a hand in a $0.55 buy-in knockout tournament on pokerstars. This hand occurs when we are already in the money and I've already made double my buy-in back from knockouts. Blinds: 500/1000 Ante: 150

UTG player with 160,000 chips raises to 2,500. Action folds round to me in late position, I look down at and with only 17,000 chips behind I shove. I get called by the player on the button who has 27,000 and the big stack UTG folds. He shows AQo

Board comes:


He wins with a pair on the turn and I am out of the tournament, I realise I was a 75% favourite before the board ran out but what I would like to know is whether there is a better way to play AK/AQ in a short stack situation such as this? I always find myself shoving in these spots and I cant remember the last time I won the hand so much so I am starting to dread being dealt AK/AQ/AJ.

Any advice would be appreciated, cheers.

Sorry about the beat. I wouldn't feel too bad since you were under 20 BB's. The shove was correct, imo. It just sux that the button turned the Q. It seems that the button would've re-raised if not shoved behind you, so it was off to the races. Keep on grinding away and don't sweat the small stuff. Oh yeah, congrats on the cash!

Originally Posted by Fire_Womble

I recently played a hand in a $0.55 buy-in knockout tournament on pokerstars. This hand occurs when we are already in the money and I've already made double my buy-in back from knockouts. Blinds: 500/1000 Ante: 150

UTG player with 160,000 chips raises to 2,500. Action folds round to me in late position, I look down at and with only 17,000 chips behind I shove. I get called by the player on the button who has 27,000 and the big stack UTG folds. He shows AQo

Board comes:


He wins with a pair on the turn and I am out of the tournament, I realise I was a 75% favourite before the board ran out but what I would like to know is whether there is a better way to play AK/AQ in a short stack situation such as this? I always find myself shoving in these spots and I cant remember the last time I won the hand so much so I am starting to dread being dealt AK/AQ/AJ.

Any advice would be appreciated, cheers.

Unlucky my friend. Yes you played correct. I don't play NLHE tournys too much, and don't know much about ICM but I think that particular situation is solved. If you're a tourny player I highly suggest programs like ICM calculators that help you find optimal strategies for stuff like this. Again, Idk much about NLHE tournys.

You just have to remember, the odds are in your favor in this situation. The more times you go against AQ when you have AK, the more you should win. People do get lucky but you did make the right decision.

A lot of people are going to shove with AKos in all sorts of situations. So we can't really argue too much with your decision.

However....

Seeing that you had 17 BB's, I would have been tempted to call the 2500 and see a flop instead. Because it came down so dry, it stands to reason it completely missed your opponent who raised pre flop. You're shove may have had a better chance of winning post flop by repping Jacks. Of course, your opponent has tons of chips so he may have called anyway. Pre flop though, most people will call an all in with AQ especially against a short stack.

I'd rather call and see a flop. When you get below 10 BB's, it's fold everything until you get a shove worthy hand. You weren't quite to that point yet IMO.

I think that you made the right move by going all in. You were short stacked and had one of the best starting hands.

At that point based off your chip stack it was a necessary decision to push all-in.

I agree with the majority of the replies. AK is a shove in this spot.

With your stack size, I think you played it fine, it was just a cooler. Sometime is like to mix in limp shoves to get more money in the pot. That play depends on how aggro players are and their stack size.

You miss this time you will get them next time.

Originally Posted by Fire_Womble

I recently played a hand in a $0.55 buy-in knockout tournament on pokerstars. This hand occurs when we are already in the money and I've already made double my buy-in back from knockouts. Blinds: 500/1000 Ante: 150

UTG player with 160,000 chips raises to 2,500. Action folds round to me in late position, I look down at and with only 17,000 chips behind I shove. I get called by the player on the button who has 27,000 and the big stack UTG folds. He shows AQo

Board comes:


He wins with a pair on the turn and I am out of the tournament, I realise I was a 75% favourite before the board ran out but what I would like to know is whether there is a better way to play AK/AQ in a short stack situation such as this? I always find myself shoving in these spots and I cant remember the last time I won the hand so much so I am starting to dread being dealt AK/AQ/AJ.

Any advice would be appreciated, cheers.

Yes, bad luck.

While your shove was not a bad move, I would most probably have taken the approach mentioned by Dark Army. While it's always nice to see an AK, it's still a drawing hand. With 17 BB, you still had a few rounds before you needed to hit panic button (shove). I must add, I'm a very patient player (well, most of the time anyway).

Originally Posted by Dark Army

A lot of people are going to shove with AKos in all sorts of situations. So we can't really argue too much with your decision.

However....

Seeing that you had 17 BB's, I would have been tempted to call the 2500 and see a flop instead. Because it came down so dry, it stands to reason it completely missed your opponent who raised pre flop. You're shove may have had a better chance of winning post flop by repping Jacks. Of course, your opponent has tons of chips so he may have called anyway. Pre flop though, most people will call an all in with AQ especially against a short stack.

I'd rather call and see a flop. When you get below 10 BB's, it's fold everything until you get a shove worthy hand. You weren't quite to that point yet IMO.

You had a chance to win about 70%. You made the right decision.

I don't know why you would do any other thing unless there a bunch of other people in the hand with a chance to move up in $$ if they were also short stacked.

17 BBs effective, iso-jamming and going heads up w/ AK is the best option.

You don't want to 3bet because you have to call a shove (or you should) and you lose fold equity. You don't want to flat and see a cheap flop because you lose value on your hand when it hits and villain folds to a bet. You also put yourself in a tough spot and don't know where you are in the hand if villain c-bets.

Its best to just get it in and not even worry about it. You have good equity against a lot of hands.

I think you did the right thing. It just didn't work out. If I had a nickel for every time I got beat by a three outer, I'd have a lot of nickels. Poker happens, you have to just keep grinding.

Absolutely have to shove that hand there, an unfortunate run out but the play was correct either way

I am not a great player but I hold my own and I would have played that hand the same way everytime . You just got unlucky . Better luck next time . I know it seems he variance is always against us but it is just variance and it evens out in the long run .

Did you notice the previous flops. If the previous flops had kings on it probably is a good idea to fold slick. Another way to tell is if you had slick before and won twice fold it the third time. A sixty percent win for slick is a good percentage.

I think under 20 BB's this is the correct call. Unfortunately, this is gambling for you! Better luck next time!

Originally Posted by ohshootmybad

.........You don't want to flat and see a cheap flop because you lose value on your hand when it hits and villain folds to a bet. You also put yourself in a tough spot and don't know where you are in the hand if villain c-bets.

So never call a raise with AK? Just go all in every time or else you lose value?

He had 17 BB's, not 10. And the BB still has to act. He's not quite at that moment of desperation where he really needs to risk it all.

Villain raised UTG which indicates a strong hand. If villain was in a late position it's easier to jam because the raise can be made from a wider range. But UTG?

Sure, you can go all in. Without seeing anyone else's cards, AK wins about 66% of the time. My preference in that spot with 17BB's is to see a flop. If I lose, I'm not much worse off.

You definitely made the right call but hey thats poker yah cant win them all

Moving all in is the best play here.
A standard re raise would be a mistake because it would be 5500 or more and that means you put in 1/3 of your stack and that makes you pot committed and therefor you have to move all in .

Flatting isn't a option i.m.o. First off all is the UTG opening range in this case with his big stack very wide. Most of the times you are ahead. Flatting can only give the players to come the right odds to call. The button would also have called in that case for sure and maybe even the BB would have called. Look at the flop and then wonder who would have had the best hand in a multiway pot. My guess is that probably UTG range connects best with the flop and if the BB would have stayed in the pot even more connects..

With going all in you got the result that you want , all in with the best hand and heads up , a 3 : 1 favorite. It proofs you made the right move and that's all that matters , the rest is of no importance anymore , that's just poker.

I agree, moving all in is the only option here.

I think in the knockout tournament it was the right decision !!!.

You had no way to do it differently, 20bb- AK is great a shove. I think any player would make the same move.

Originally Posted by UncleConRon

Did you notice the previous flops. If the previous flops had kings on it probably is a good idea to fold slick. Another way to tell is if you had slick before and won twice fold it the third time. A sixty percent win for slick is a good percentage.

lol. Ignore this, everyone.

With that stack, I would shove 100% of the time. I would shove even if someone else shoved first. That's the hand you have been waiting for. If you are going to have a chance at making the final table, you have to go with that. No option. Well played.

Originally Posted by ohshootmybad

lol. Ignore this, everyone.

Right? As is the odds change because the previous flop had K's in it...lol

Originally Posted by UncleConRon

Did you notice the previous flops. If the previous flops had kings on it probably is a good idea to fold slick. Another way to tell is if you had slick before and won twice fold it the third time. A sixty percent win for slick is a good percentage.

please never do this lol past flops have 0% factor into your current decision and odds

Originally Posted by Fire_Womble

I recently played a hand in a $0.55 buy-in knockout tournament on pokerstars. This hand occurs when we are already in the money and I've already made double my buy-in back from knockouts. Blinds: 500/1000 Ante: 150

UTG player with 160,000 chips raises to 2,500. Action folds round to me in late position, I look down at and with only 17,000 chips behind I shove. I get called by the player on the button who has 27,000 and the big stack UTG folds. He shows AQo

Board comes:


He wins with a pair on the turn and I am out of the tournament, I realise I was a 75% favourite before the board ran out but what I would like to know is whether there is a better way to play AK/AQ in a short stack situation such as this? I always find myself shoving in these spots and I cant remember the last time I won the hand so much so I am starting to dread being dealt AK/AQ/AJ.

Any advice would be appreciated, cheers.

It seems to me that you did the right thing. I would do the same. But nothing can be done. This is his majesty random

its a hand to shove at that point, id do the same

Correct play. I would shove. Hoping the caller something like Ax. Or just taking down the pot right there . If it’s a smaller pair you are still 50%
Not a fan of calling AK and letting more than one player see the flop
A tight preflop fold is okay if you are near the money and willing to see a few more orbits

Originally Posted by Fire_Womble

I recently played a hand in a $0.55 buy-in knockout tournament on pokerstars. This hand occurs when we are already in the money and I've already made double my buy-in back from knockouts. Blinds: 500/1000 Ante: 150

UTG player with 160,000 chips raises to 2,500. Action folds round to me in late position, I look down at and with only 17,000 chips behind I shove. I get called by the player on the button who has 27,000 and the big stack UTG folds. He shows AQo

Board comes:


He wins with a pair on the turn and I am out of the tournament, I realise I was a 75% favourite before the board ran out but what I would like to know is whether there is a better way to play AK/AQ in a short stack situation such as this? I always find myself shoving in these spots and I cant remember the last time I won the hand so much so I am starting to dread being dealt AK/AQ/AJ.

Any advice would be appreciated, cheers.

I think that you played it well but you were not lucky .I would do it the same ...

Thank you to everyone who has replied, I figured this was the correct play and what everyone has posted in here has confirmed that. I appreciate the feedback, its always good to hear that you're doing things right, variance is a bummer...

People go all in with AK all the time. I got knocked out of today's cc tourney by a all in AK to my QQ. He was gong all in every time so I took a chance. Of coarse I never hit when I play AK but it sure his often on me. Funny game this rigged online game. Thank God I don't take it serious. Entertaining is all

Originally Posted by John bruce

People go all in with AK all the time. I got knocked out of today's cc tourney by a all in AK to my QQ. He was gong all in every time so I took a chance. Of coarse I never hit when I play AK but it sure his often on me. Funny game this rigged online game. Thank God I don't take it serious. Entertaining is all

Sounds like to take it seriously enough to complain and call it rigged.

In this particular case the only way to win the player with AQ could only be allowed to see it flop. Yesterday I flew from the tournament with QQ against AK. My opponent was the K on the river. I made all-in pre-flop raise. I had a small stack, and I didn’t want to spend a part of it on the call, when K or A. could come to the flop. I decided to maximize my chances and received a call in return. If I allowed to see the flop and even the turn would make him fold.

Damn this reply stings I shipped 23bb into a 2 bb raise from the BTN & lost obv. to 77 which is really a coin flip. It's kind of seen as a rule of thumb to shove 20 BB into AK & the more research I do the more your line makes sense contrary to the "common wisdom"

Originally Posted by Dark Army

So never call a raise with AK? Just go all in every time or else you lose value?

He had 17 BB's, not 10. And the BB still has to act. He's not quite at that moment of desperation where he really needs to risk it all.

Villain raised UTG which indicates a strong hand. If villain was in a late position it's easier to jam because the raise can be made from a wider range. But UTG?

Sure, you can go all in. Without seeing anyone else's cards, AK wins about 66% of the time. My preference in that spot with 17BB's is to see a flop. If I lose, I'm not much worse off.

You played correctly, going all in with AK with such a small stack is a good decision. You also have to remember that this is a K.O tournament, so there is a high probability of calling by the opponent. However, with such a card you have a good chance to play, but not always.

Originally Posted by Fire_Womble

I recently played a hand in a $0.55 buy-in knockout tournament on pokerstars. This hand occurs when we are already in the money and I've already made double my buy-in back from knockouts. Blinds: 500/1000 Ante: 150

UTG player with 160,000 chips raises to 2,500. Action folds round to me in late position, I look down at and with only 17,000 chips behind I shove. I get called by the player on the button who has 27,000 and the big stack UTG folds. He shows AQo

Board comes:


He wins with a pair on the turn and I am out of the tournament, I realise I was a 75% favourite before the board ran out but what I would like to know is whether there is a better way to play AK/AQ in a short stack situation such as this? I always find myself shoving in these spots and I cant remember the last time I won the hand so much so I am starting to dread being dealt AK/AQ/AJ.

Any advice would be appreciated, cheers.

The problem I have with shoving in general is that you reduce ways to win. You eliminate the chance of a villain folding. The second problem is you take away your ability to fold.

Yes, it is the correct play at certain times, but you do have options.

I could go in to the hand with AK deciding I'm going to go with AK, not going to fold. I could shove and I think you get called with AQ.

I could call the raise and shove 14k into a 7k pot which is a difficult call on that board for AQ.

I could re-raise to 7k which screams I have a huge hand and don't want to scare you off. Then shove on the flop which is again a difficult call for AQ on that board.

In either of these lines it would ultimately not change the outcome obviously, but you would win some of these pots by a villain folding.

If I have 160k and you shove 17k I'm going to call all day long with AQ. I have the chips, I will call off 10% of my stack with AQ. I would have a problem making a call of a pot size bet when I totally wiff.

If i'm not so sure about winning the hand i will shove with ak shortstack.
When i have a real good feeling to hit the board i just play it slow and hope for more players in the hand.

Hello, it seems to me a totally positive movement and it is the only one that you can make with 17bb carrying AK, and the best thing I paid you AQ, keep that you had 75% to win and that in the long run you will see that it begins to be noticed, the variance is time was against you and nothing to do. When you play well and it doesn't happen, you have to stay calm, it was correct how you played.