it is down to 2 tables top 18 pay, I have around 10k avg stack is 11k, blinds are 400/800. I am utg+2, and it is folded to me.
I have [A 2 ]
I raise it to 2k, and get one caller behind me.
Flop comes[ K 10 7 ] Pot size ~ 5500
I am first to act, I _____?

a.) If I check, and he checks- what should I do on the turn w/ no help?
b.) If I bet around 2-3k, and he calls, what should I do on the turn with no help?

How many chips does the caller have?

I check/fold this flop typically. Unless the guy was playing a middle PP, the flop probably hit him in some way while it obviously missed you in every way.

You don't have enough chips to make a continuation bet (about 3,000) without basically pot committing yourself. If you're going to play this hand, then all-in is your only move but I would fold.

thank you.

he had around 12k

Unless this is a short or very tight table a 2k raise (20% of your stack) is awful imo. If you get called, what are you going to flop that gives you a clear path to play the rest of the hand, other than the nut flush or A2..and even A2 is shaky. I might limp, but I would probably fold preflop.

If it was a steal attempt it didnt work, check it down and fold to anything.

Save yourself the grief of playing this hand and fold pf. You have a 9 player table, A2s is a very weak hand, and you don't have a lot of chip room to play around. As for how to play that flop, check and fold. If he checks the flop, and a blank hits, I might fire out 3-4k as a bluff. This is a pretty coordinated flop that likely hit your opponent.

Your hand is weak enough and your M is low enough that this is probably a Jam or Fold preflop. I would fold it personally.

As played, that's a terrible flop for you. Two broadway, lots of draws. Check/fold.

Fold pre-flop.

Ok, so at this point, what is a good range of hands for me to be playing from middle position? Also can someone explain M's to me?

M is a basic term for how much it costs to play 1 round. SB+BB+Antes.
At this point, I would be playing AJ-AK, probably limping with any pair 77- and raising with any pair 88+. Also KQ, and maybe limping with suited connectors. With so few chips here, you really have little room to play around and need to push your hands hard.

Well...not quite on the explanation of "M". It is the ratio of your stack to the cost of a round...SB+BB+Antes. (If the table is short its further adjusted by mutiplying by the number of players and dividing by 10).

It is essentially a gauge as to how desperate you are to get into action before the blinds kill you. An M of less than 5 and youre in rough shape and any hand you play is an all-in because youre pot committed; 5-10 you need to be seriously thinking about steals; 10+ youve got some breathing room.

One of the big strategy differences as M changes is the value of small pairs and drawing hands. With an M in the 5-10 range you arent going to be able to get the implied odds needed to make those hands pay, so you are in a "power hand" mode. At Ms above 10 youre strategy is pretty normal, with an M below 5 small pairs in particular become monsters, and suited connectors become decent hands to go all in with if you are first in. Now youve got some play if you do get called.

Nice explanation copernicus. You sound like Action Dan himself

but i "hate" Action Dan for this book. It took me years of blinding out on the bubble to finally figure out "M" theory ( or a reasonable facsimile) for myself, and now for $3o the whole world can know it, lol.

Just fold PF and wait for a better spot. A2 suited is junk at this point, unless you're playing a REALLY tight table.