I suck at playing AK, please help!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CaucasianAsian29]

NL$50
assume $50 stacks
You have A,Koff

UTG raises to $2
every one folds to Hero on the button

Hero raises to $6?

Is this standard

[Shaddux]

Yes.

[MortenTA]

without reads this is standard for me to raise to at least 6$

[4_2_it]

So far, so good.

[UncleKraut]

I like to call on the button here. Most people overvalue AK, especially to a UTG raise.

I don't like to build a huge pot pre-flop with AK. Just call here and see what develops on the flop.

[HitNRunPoster]

[ QUOTE ]
So far, so good.

[/ QUOTE ]

Um, wouldn't it normally be a RR to 6.75?

fwiw I always reraise to 6 anyways, but still, I'm curious.

[ImprovinNewbie]

i think you could do either, mixing it up.... a call is nice and very disguised since you have postition. if player is loose re-raise and hope for a call since you are ahead most likely.. against a tight player do both. more often call.

[wslee00]

A small nit, but I make it 7

[CaucasianAsian29]

Okay a few situations
1.UTG reraises you all in- I think fold

2.UTG calls-then checks to you, your c-betting approx 80% of the time? and fold to and c/r by utg

[Grunch]

[ QUOTE ]
Most people overvalue AK, especially to a UTG raise.


[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who say such things do not really understand AK's unique equity situation.

[lacrymosa]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay a few situations
1.UTG reraises you all in- I think fold

2.UTG calls-then checks to you, your c-betting approx 80% of the time? and fold to and c/r by utg

[/ QUOTE ]
I do this too

[UncleKraut]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people overvalue AK, especially to a UTG raise.


[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who say such things do not really understand AK's unique equity situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Care to elaborate? I'm listening.

[wslee00]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people overvalue AK, especially to a UTG raise.


[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who say such things do not really understand AK's unique equity situation.

[/ QUOTE ]
can you explain that in layman's terms please

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people overvalue AK, especially to a UTG raise.


[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who say such things do not really understand AK's unique equity situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Care to elaborate? I'm listening.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's only one hand AK is really afraid of and only one more that we don't really like. The rest are either 50/50 or we dominate.

[UncleKraut]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people overvalue AK, especially to a UTG raise.


[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who say such things do not really understand AK's unique equity situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Care to elaborate? I'm listening.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's only one hand AK is really afraid of and only one more that we don't really like. The rest are either 50/50 or we dominate.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK. I still think it is overvalued to a UTG raise. Unless UTG raiser is a complete donk, its more likely that he holds a hand that we are completely dominated by or 50/50.

Why would I want to blow up the pot when I'm just 50/50 or worse?

In my experience just flat calling in positon with AK has been a MUCH more +EV play for me than re-raising.

[Grunch]

Exactly what mason said. AK really only is in trouble against exactly AA. Against KK we're only a 2:1 dog. Against QQ-22 we're 50:50. Against all other non-pair hands we tend to be a major favorite.

The interesting thing about AK is that if we get a bunch of money in preflop, we are rarely -EV to do so. Don't take this to an extreme; it depends on how the money gets in there.

[Grunch]

Also, in the case of the OP, most advice here will tell you to re-raise. But don't think that it's -EV to just call preflop. It's very +EV to just call. In fact, the OP is probably the most likely situation where I will not re-raise PF. That is to say, most of my cold-calls PF with AK are in situations very similar to the OP.

[CaucasianAsian29]

Wow, thanks Grunch and Mason. Great replys! I'm liking AK more now.

[UncleKraut]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, in the case of the OP, most advice here will tell you to re-raise. But don't think that it's -EV to just call preflop. It's very +EV to just call. In fact, the OP is probably the most likely situation where I will not re-raise PF. That is to say, most of my cold-calls PF with AK are in situations very similar to the OP.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I respect UTG raises too much. But I feel that in case of an UTG raise it is -EV to re-raise with AK. It is just too likely that we are 50/50 at best.

I'm all for raising someone who came in from MP or LP.

[kolotoure]

I hope people keep playing there AK weakly against me when I raise UTG

[mason55]

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
equity (%) win (%) tie (%)
Hand 1: 46.3528 % 42.11% 04.24% { 22+, ATs+, KQs, AJo+, KQo }
Hand 2: 53.6472 % 49.41% 04.24% { AKs, AKo }
</pre><hr />

AK vs standard 2p2 UTG opening range.

Widen this range for the donkeys at uNL.

[Grunch]

[ QUOTE ]
But I feel that in case of an UTG raise it is -EV to re-raise with AK. It is just too likely that we are 50/50 at best.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not really a question of you giving too much respect to an UTG open-raise. I think the problem is that you are not considering two factors: 1) Your postflop fold equity when everyone misses, and 2) the pot odds you get on your raise because of UTG's raise.

Edit: and of course, the most important consideration of all. There is a great deal of intrinsic value in just having the button.

[UncleKraut]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But I feel that in case of an UTG raise it is -EV to re-raise with AK. It is just too likely that we are 50/50 at best.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not really a question of you giving too much respect to an UTG open-raise. I think the problem is that you are not considering two factors: 1) Your postflop fold equity when everyone misses, and 2) the pot odds you get on your raise because of UTG's raise.

Edit: and of course, the most important consideration of all. There is a great deal of intrinsic value in just having the button.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see your point. Thanks for the insight.

[orange]

i rr here alot. i also call sometimes for deception, but only when i try to get a bit more tricky.

[Acein8ter]

equity (%) win (%) tie (%)
Hand 1: 42.1759 % 41.94% 00.24% { AKs, AKo }
Hand 2: 57.8241 % 57.59% 00.24% { 55+ }

[AmonRaa]

And when 55-TT dont hit their set they will let it go on high card board.

[john voight]

say your flop reading skills are not good? It seems whenever I cbet I gt called, and when ever I check, i should have cbet.

I mainly only call w/ AK b/c of this, to keep pots small. Is this wrong? (i play 6max nl25 btw)

note; i will 3 bet/all in short stacks.

[blackize]

[ QUOTE ]
say your flop reading skills are not good? It seems whenever I cbet I gt called, and when ever I check, i should have cbet.

I mainly only call w/ AK b/c of this, to keep pots small. Is this wrong? (i play 6max nl25 btw)


[/ QUOTE ]

It is rarely correct not to cbet AK HU if you 3bet preflop IMO. Most of the time you get credit for a hand like QQ+ and you get a bunch of folds