Last night I was playing a home game sit n go. We had played for a whie and I have very reliable reads on the other players. I have about T2500 in chips, the avg is 1875. Top 3 places pay, I only want to win (3rd is money back, and bragging rites matter the most)

8 handed $100/$200 blinds
SB
BB $1200 (villian 1)
MP2 $1000 (villian 2)
CO $2500 (Hero) A K

BB is very tight, won't play anything but solid hands. MP2 is kind of green, still learning the game. I have been playing very tight as well up to now.

MP2 Open raises for $400, Hero calls, BB raises to $1200 (all in), mp2 calls hero?

I made the first call based on my read of MP2 that he would call a push by me anyway, so I would rather see the flop first before commiting more chips.

I will save my play and reasons for later.

I would fold the A-K at this point. Most likely you are in a coin flip situation with the BB, but the fact that MP2 has already called means that he is likely holding a fairly strong hand as well. I would let this one go and wait for a better spot.

Call.

You should push after the min-raise of MP2 though, he only has 600 chips left going into the flop!

Why is everybody so scared of AK?

True, I didn't see that. I agree that he only has 600 more chips, I'm okay with calling pre-flop as well. But in a situation where MP2 has more chips, I wouldn't call.

I was sure that MP would push after the flop not matter what came out. He would fall in love with his first 2 cards anyway, I wanted the opportunity to see the flop before putting that last $600 in the pot. There is no flop that would have not got his chips in the middle.

AK is a dog to any PP. MP2 had either AX or PP. I am either way ahead or slightly behind after his min raise. He is committed to the hand. Why not wait until the flop to see if I am ahead? I actually don't understand the mentality of "I got AK so I am all in'.

If he's putting all his chips in on any flop, you're just making his play profitable by only calling 1/3 times when you hit the flop.

If he's playing Ax or a PP you have no idea if the flop hit him or not, so folding after the flop is a mistake no matter what the board looks like. Just get it in before the flop.

It's certainly not always the right mentality, but in shorthanded situations against desperately short stacks you should be beating your opponents into the pot with AK.

the reason a lot of people want to push pref lop with AK is two fold...
1.Fold equity, you can often get tight players to lay down hands like 1010 and JJ
2. U want to give your self the full five cards to hit your pair. If you simply call then u are eliminating the turn and river. Also often times the player will not call a post flop bet if you hit with a flop like kq8, with pocket jacks...whereas if you push it all in preflop he prob will call so you are going to make more by pushing


After saying that in this case, it doesnt really apply. Even if you lose you are knocked down to a slightly less than average stack, but if you win then you are in great position to take it down, which you stated was your goal from the first place.

AK and how it is played is very situational, this answer would be different on the bubble in a MTT, and a fold on the bubble in a satellite tourney

What about calling 2 players all in? I know have a chance to significantly increase my stack, but by not reraising the initial raiser I have lost any folding equity. Is calling here advisable?

I understand about pushing with AK here. I am not 100% convinced it was the right thing but I get the point.

What I am really wanted feedback on is after the BB comes over the top and the mp calls, do I call as well?

I would still have a lmedium stack if I lose, but a fairly large stack if I win. From a tournament strategy perspective, is this risk appropriate? Im guessing that i ma be behind someones PP, but I would definately have outs.

Another reason is if youre going to be OOP you eliminate that problem with the all in. In position pushing can be a defense against a planned stop and go as well.

Points 1 and 2 really apply to any two cards (point 2 moreso with hands that need improvement to be likely to win), but AK has the added advantage of possibly winning without improvement.

2600 in the pot and it's 800 back to you, so you're getting 3.25:1, I suck with multi-way numbers but you have to be at least 25% against their range plus you have the opportunity to knock 2 players out, easy call I think.

I would raise preflop first, that is a must with the blinds were they are at. Both of these guys are all inn and it 800 more to win...well im too lazy to count and I need to get a drink, but they don't have Aces or Kings enough for you to fold. Call the all ins as well.