Re: With deep stacks, I always fold top pair!
Ansky, this is a great one.
I love this hand, preflop, but hate it at the end. I think there are three ways of looking at it, and two are correct. As you played it, with the large reraise pre-flop, you are a lot more committed to playing it all the way to the end. It appears you were thinking that, then backed off.
Calling the raise pre-flop is one way to play this hand. It's early, you have no reads, so I prefer to trap rather than play strongly. AK is a big hand, but has to be improved. It's either a calling hand, for me, or a pushing hand, because you need to see all five cards to have the best chance of winning with it. As you have position, then it's easier to control the size of the pot, should you decide to not push, which I think is not the right play, better than pushing because it's early and you don't need to.
As you played it, I think you have to call the river. What can you beat? In my experience, probably anything he's got. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
How many times have you seen Ax here? How many times have you seen 66? Or JJ? That's why I now hate this hand at this point. I have NO idea what he's got. I think all you guys who are putting him on hands are overestimating the opponent. If this were on the bubble in an SNG, I'd put them on the higher range. At this point, no way can you be so sure.
In another thread criticizing Mike Caro's column, people are advocating aggressive play. Your play seems to be more in keeping with what he advocates and I see nothing wrong with that.
I can't fault you for not calling. You're still in it.
CJ
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