(22) AK vs UTG raiser

[notmyusername]

Although it would be nice to have position on everyone in the hand, AK plays all right OOP. Also, you have position on the UTG raiser. Plus, at most tables the UTG's raise will only be called by 1 more person after you anyway. 1/3 of the time you will flop the likely best hand and you can play it accordingly. If someone pushes after you call, and the UTG calls, you can probably fold knowing you are at best a coinflip and at worst against AA or KK. I would call and play poker here. Don't get too excited about AK early in an SnG. It's a strong hand, but I am rarely happy getting it allin preflop when the blinds are so low.

[Scuba Chuck]

[ QUOTE ]

If someone pushes after you call, and the UTG calls, you can probably fold knowing you are at best a coinflip and at worst against AA or KK.

[/ QUOTE ]

How would you play if utg folds?

[notmyusername]

I think it would depend on reads. If the reraiser had either a.) accumulated a large stack early through very aggressive play or b.) had donked off lots of chips and pushed a small stack from the blinds or c.) seemed like an idiot, I would probably call, knowing I will be against a smaller ace or garbage a decent amount of the time. If it was someone who hadn't played many/any hands, or was a multi-tabler, or was a regular, and I hadn't done anything blatantly stupid, I would probably fold. I'm not sure how relevant this question is to the 22s, however, which in my experience don't have that much raising/reraising of a UTG raiser at an early level.

[golfcchs]

I have played just over 1k of 22's and I say their is another caller a majority of the time.

About getting paid off I dont know. If he has kings will he fold on an ace flop? I my experience it can go both ways so I'm not quite sure what your getting at.

[HighestCard]

Hopefully scuba chuck will enlighten us further because I struggle with these too.

I think pushing is your worst decision here. You are going to see coin flips and AA, KK way more than AQ and maybe AJ.

If your horrible at post flop poker go ahead and fold. Like scuba hinted at, you have time and can implement your advantages later.

I like the fold but I still have a leaky game so who knows.

HC

[RobGW]

If you want to increase your profits you must learn to play post flop poker. So you can just call here and see a flop. You can also reraise less than all in without pot commiting yourself although I wouldn't do that myself. Reraising all in isnt bad per say it just isnt maximizing your profits. You will get called by Ax often enough to show a profit though.

[mlagoo]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to increase your profits you must learn to play post flop poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

while this is obviously true in the abstract, i am not sure if it applies to this situation.

here, assume hero calls and everyone else folds (best possible situation). there's now a little under 250 in the pot and hero has ~650 behind. how much post flop poker can be played here? two bets, tops?

[RobGW]

The more I think about it the more I think pushing might be a better play here.

[45suited]

Absent a read on the raiser, I fold here.

In the 22s, there are so many spots where you can pwn your opponents, it just isn't necessary to put yourself into harm's way like this.

Unless he's raising with AQ or worse, I don't think you get paid off enough when you do hit TP to make calling a good option.

And again, unless he's raising a worse ace, I don't want to race against bad opponents w/o any real dead money as overlay.

Of course, there's always a chance (I'd say 10%) that a push can force a fold.

Overall, I know that Scuba Chuck will call me weak tight (we've been down this road before in very similar posts as a matter of fact!), but against an unknown opponent, I just fold here.

[zipppy]

[ QUOTE ]
Absent a read on the raiser, I fold here.


[/ QUOTE ]

edit: and everything else 45suited said [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]