Tough Spot with AK

[Andrew Gray]

This hand takes place in a $1/$3 club game where it is $5 to call.

There are 2 limpers in middle position and a solid reg (one of the better players in the club, possible pro) raises to $25 from the button with about $700 behind. Action folds to hero (me) with AK offsuit in the BB. I flat call with roughly $450 behind. I normally would 3-bet in this spot, but choose to flat because I just sat down and don’t want to play a big pot with AK off out of position. Both limpers call and we see a flop.

Flop: Ks Kh 10s

Action checks all the way through.

Turn: Js

Action checks to initial raiser who bets $60. I call and limpers fold. We are heads-up going to river.

River: 4h

I check and button thinks for a bit before betting $180. I do not have the Ace of spades in my hand. What should I do? I’m almost positive this player would bet the flop if he was on the spade draw, especially when checked to him. I also think this player is capable of bluffing with Ax with the ace of spades.

I eventually call and lose to K 10 offsuit.

Comments and criticism are welcome.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Andrew Gray.

[DeeKay]

First… that’s just a tough break… you’re definitely getting cold decked on that one. However, it ended up, I probably would have played the hand differently.
I would have definitely 3-bet in that spot pre-flop. Good player on the button, means he’s going to raise there with a wide range of hands. I get that you didn’t want to sit down and play a big hand right away and out of position, but (1) you play the hands as they come, and (2) because you are out of position is more of a reason to make a 3-bet. I probably like a c-bet here given the flop. Two spades, so I want to charge a little bit for a draw, and the 10 is definitely in the range of the raiser. I think typically c-bet would get called here, particularly from a good player. Now the question is do you have 1 or 2 more streets of value. Probably 1 and given the scary turn card, I like a strong bet on the turn charging all draws. Again, you had no idea that the guy flopped it and wasn’t going anywhere, but just a little more to think about. The way you played it probably saved you a ton of money, but I would suggest there would have been another way to play it. Maybe the button folds on you’re 3-bet. I think if you took it from $25 to $125… you likely take it down.

[Andrew Gray]

Thank you for the response, I totally agree with you that I butchered the hand pre-flop. The villain almost certainly would have folded to $125 and I would take it down right there.

Given the way the hand was played, I kinda beat myself up about calling the river just because I lose to so many hands that make reasonable sense other than flush draws. 1010, KJ, AQ, JJ I think are all in his range still.

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