Difficult spot with AKs

[MrWooster]

Just got to the table - I always have difficulty playing AK - what is standard here?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter (http://www.learnhowtoplaypokerfree.com/convert/convert.cgi) Courtesy of PokerZion.com (http://PokerZion.com)

Hero ($5.86)
SB ($4.55)
BB ($23.08)
UTG ($5.20)
MP ($2.22)
CO ($2.96)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG calls $0.05, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to $0.1</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $0.4</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG calls $0.35, CO calls $0.30.

Flop: ($1.27) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG bets $4.8 (All-In)</font>, CO calls $2.56 (All-In), Hero ??????

[barryc83]

easy easy easy fold. You have overcards which probably aren't good and a gutshot.

If it had checked around to you on the flop do you cbet?

[redron85]

Fold. 2 all-ins, one of them has a pocket pair/made one on the flop and you only have a gutshot and possibly drawing to an ace or king. Find a better spot.

[MrWooster]

I would probably have c-bet here - I c-bet about 90%. I think folding here is the right choice as I always seem to overvalue AK.

Would a c-bet here be in order if it was checked round? - I am thinking that maybe in this situation it might be better to take the free card - its almost certain that at least one of the villains hit... hmmm - please advise a newbie

Thanks

Guy

[barryc83]

If it checked around on the flop, you should not cbet. Look at the flop texture, that flop hits a lot of hands and also has a lot of draws, so you are not gonna take it down very often. Think about why you would be cbetting here, for value, protection, or to take it down now? If you cbet its to win the pot now, which is not gonna happen on that flop multiway very often. Honestly, I dont know if I cbet this flop heads up even, but others would probably disagree.

Basically dont get married to AK unimproved, its perfectly fine and standard even to fold AK unimproved.

[MrWooster]

Thanks - I think that one of my leaks is over-valuing AK.

End result was that I did fold.

Thanks

[Gullanian]

Easy fold 100%. If you miss with AK your behind.