Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t100/t200
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t945
UTG+1: t3775
MP1: t12100
MP2: t21795
MP3: t6175
CO: t28320
Button: t8000
Hero: t5820
BB: t4930

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is SB with K A
2 folds, MP1 raises to t400, 4 folds, Hero raises to t1600, BB folds, MP1 calls t1200 (pot was t2200).

Flop: 7 3 9 (t3400, 2 players)
Hero is all-in t4220



I don't even remember how I used to play AK here. This is how I play it now. Standard, right? 55k gtd on stars.

So... we're pretty much committed to this after the flop, right?

Would you rather put out a stronger looking bet of T2500ish so it doesn't look like you've missed with your AK?

Yeah, doesn't a bet of that size basically scream, "Please don't call me"?

It screams that a little bit, but the pot is big enough that it's not out of line. I would bet the same way if I hit top pair on that flop...just to put pressure on the draws. I think Villain would have a tough time calling here with just two overs.

That's really the exact opposite of what we're trying to do here...

I think we need to establish what OP is trying to do here before we can say that.

It looks to me like OP is trying to take the pot down right here without a showdown. His push likely accomplishes this against anything but sets, TP, and overpairs.

I understand the line you are proposing, but betting anything less than pot invites calls from middle pair and other mid pockets IMO. Does the times we stack someone with weaker overs make up for the times we lose to a weak pair?

You don't think this line flips our cards face up?

My point though, is that a call from two overs is a good result for us. We get like a 75% chance (top of my head guess) to double up. We don't want two naked overs to fold. Ever.

We're pushing to fold a smaller pair (although I think a 3/4 PSB would accomplish the same thing without telling villain we have AK). We're also pushing for value if he calls with two overs (aka he's a tard).

I've been up too long. Def nap time. Maybe I'll be more coherent when I get back.

I'm even playing a donkament tonight, maybe I'll have some hands to post.

I dont like this play at all. What are you going to fold here? This bet looks like you missed and are trying to bully the pot, players see this and will almost call you with less than they would have if you bet say 2k or so. You may have just got eights to call you because this bet looks like ace high unless you are making this play and it is shown down with overpairs and better.

Dont be so afaid to ltake a hit to your stack, I dont know how you play a short stack but IMO this is giving up, I know when I make this play I am saying if I lose any more in this pot I dont want to play anymore in this tourney. C-bet the flop with like 2k and if he calls you are done with it unless you improve, by doing this you still give yourself a chance in the tourney and this looks more like a hand when you bet it. You will have roughly 2k left if you c-bet and lose and you still give yourself a chance, at this point in the tourney the way the hand played out it is too likely that the opponenet has you beat and will call you.

AK is a big hand but you dont have to go broke here, yes you will lose like 60% of your stack if you take this line but you will still have an M of 10 and in the hunt.

If you cBet you are committed IMO. 2k is not an M of 10...It's an M of <7. If he calls, the pot is 7400 and you have 2200 left behind. On the turn you are calling 2200 to win 9600. I can't see folding on the turn just to be in desperation mode.

The part I do agree with (And Zach convinced me of it) is that pushing may actually have the affect of getting the middle pairs to call whereas a strong raise may cause them to fold while getting weaker overs to chase.

When I'm feeling especially nasty against an aggrodonk who I KNOW will bet (ie 0% chance he checks), I will check raise shove in this spot.