NL25 AK OOP

[Cheshire]

Villain has not done anything to make me take note of him.

My play here seems really weak but it just seems stupid to stack myself off with only one pair. I would have checked but I was scared that might induce a large bet that would make me fold the best hand.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

MP3 ($24)
CO ($23.75)
Button ($52.70)
Hero ($27.90)
BB ($24.95)
UTG ($25)
UTG+1 ($15.70)
MP1 ($17.85)
MP2 ($26.84)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif. Hero posts a blind of $0.10.
UTG calls $0.25, UTG+1 calls $0.25, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP3 calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, Button calls $0.25, <font color="#CC3333">Hero (poster) raises to $2.4</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls $2.25.

Flop: ($6.25) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, Button calls $4.

Turn: ($14.25) K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, Button calls $4.

River: ($22.25) J/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, Button calls $4.

Final Pot: $30.25

Comments on all streets appreciated

[jmc999]

Those turn and river bets seem too weak. If you do that with any regularity, a good opponent will start raising those tiny blocking bets.

[demon102]

Im guessing the caller had u beat with like 2 pair or a set or u wouldnt be posting this and thats the way it looks with him calling u all the way down with ur small bets. If u lost then Id say u played it pretty well, u kept the lead and if he had the flush he probably woulda reraised u on the turn or river. So what happened??

[wallywojo]

The $4 bet still may induce a large bet, so checking is not the only way to get that response.

Agree that you do not want to go to the felt, but it seems like you are not going to be able to squeeze much more out of the player on the river based on the action to this point. They may have had a pair on the flop which just saw two overcards hit the turn and river, a pocket pair like 77 or 55, a made flush draw or a busted straight draw.

In this situation I too want to make a bet that I know will get called, but I think that is why you may want to make the turn bet a little larger while they still may be drawing. If the turn is a little bigger, then you can still extract a little more value on the river.

There is a good section on this in NLTAP. The best line is not always the line that gets called the highest percentage of the time. If you have that book, check that section out again.

[Shaddux]

Your turn and river bets are gross. I probably value bet turn and c/c or c/f river.

[EMc]

I like a bigger bet on the turn as well. You ahve a good hand, so lets bet it and not give a lone diamond good odds.

As played, if you wanna block the river, block it for more.

[Cheshire]

I am currently reading NLTAP. I agree with what you are saying, I had issues with bet sizing during the hand. I wanted to put out bets large enough to give draws incorrect odds but small enough that I am not pot comitted, so I can fold if raised. What would you suggest for the sizes of turn and river bets?

[kbinder]

[ QUOTE ]
I am currently reading NLTAP. I agree with what you are saying, I had issues with bet sizing during the hand. I wanted to put out bets large enough to give draws incorrect odds but small enough that I am not pot comitted, so I can fold if raised. What would you suggest for the sizes of turn and river bets?

[/ QUOTE ]

Very tough. I can't think of a turn bet that would accomplish both purposes.

If you bet $8, you give striaght and flush draws incorrect odds, and it's enough of a value bet if villain is hanging around with something like 99. If he calls the turn, I'm giving it up on the river, regardless of the fact that I'd be getting 3:1 if he pushed.

[kurto]

I know this is a minor quibble but... if you want to exercise pot control, you can raise pf for less.

Some may disagree with me here but I don't want to play my biggest hands OOP. Especially AK because it has to improve. After 5 limpers (6 if you count the BB), if you follow the 4bb+xlimper rule, you're PF raise is already 1/10 of your stack. To make a meaningful cont bet, you're going to have to put in nearly a 5th of your stack (I'm fine with your $4 flop bet the way it happened) When you hit your king, you should be betting AT LEAST 1/2 the pot ($8) so you're pretty much pot committing yourself.

You can:
(1) raise less... maybe 1.50. At these stakes, any raise above 4-5bb is usually the same... those who'll fold for $2.40 will fold for 1.50).
(2) People might jump... Limp. You're in the worst position at the table and bloating the pot. If you miss the flop you're gonna hate the position you're in. There's no crime in occasionally not raising AK.