AK/AQ play on a garbage flop

I've seen it happen too many times....AKo or AQo dealt. Automatic pre-flop raise from me, any position, usually pot-sized. One or two callers from people I havent played with enough to know their style.

Now the flop comes down 7s 5h 2d. Total Garbage, and I'm first to go.

What do I do?

I do what I think I should do, and raise at the pot, between half and full pot sized bet dependant on how far away the cards are from 10/J.

More often then not, I'll get called or heaves forbid, raised. I've got a two raises and either a call on the raise, or not looking too good for the turn. if the flop has a J or Q (against AK) in it, I'm running scared that I've got AK against paired up Jacks/Queens, or worse, trips J's/Q's.

Knowing the power of AK, on a garbage flop, is this hand worth playing out on the power of two overcards against called preflop raises? Should I have even gone that far to bet out at it after the flop to represent the J/Q?

If you keep getting called, then you've got to start playing draws and made hands at that table.

What usually happens is you follow through the with a big bet and everyone folds becuase AK is most likely the best hand.

-'rilla

Considering that the hands they are most likely holding onto at this point are a pocket pair or a couple big cards, when a card like a Q hits the board, and I not an underdog to win the pot against either the pocket pair or the KQ? I know preflop I'm roughly 48-52 against, but after the flop doesnt my odds of winning the hand go down dramatically if I miss the A or K flop?

As the saying goes betting a missed AK on the flop is not a bluff. Bet, and if your called proceed the hand with caution.

Originally Posted by Crunch

Considering that the hands they are most likely holding onto at this point are a pocket pair or a couple big cards, when a card like a Q hits the board, and I not an underdog to win the pot against either the pocket pair or the KQ? I know preflop I'm roughly 48-52 against, but after the flop doesnt my odds of winning the hand go down dramatically if I miss the A or K flop?

Yes, your odds mathematically go down, but if you don't think you're against the set/2 pair, you've got at least 6 outs to the best hand here (theoretically) and if you've picked up any draws, you're doing better yet. There's even a pretty fair chance you're ahead unimproved. Missing the flop with AK ain't great, but it could be a lot worse.

I will usually (i.e. always) lead out with a 2/3 pot bet if my AK misses. Which it often does. If you're not getting all folds on this bet at least half the time, you're either at a really loose table, or your opponents don't respect your bets. Either way - consider changing tables. You will still get called sometimes and then you need to be careful and play it by ear. If you pick up that A or K on the turn, great. If you don't, you have to read your opponent to see if checking or betting again is the best play. You may still have the best hand. Does the board look like they might have picked up a flush or straight draw? Maybe a middle pair? If so you should bet pretty hard. If you suspect they actually have something - overpair in the pocket, or top pair, a set, whatever - you might want to check and fold if bet into.

Situation seems to happens to me all the time. I try to make the pre-flop bet big enough that people holding low to mid pockets and suited connectors will lay them down, but invariably I seem to get a few calls. Flop comes something along the lines of 2, 6, 9, and now Im sitting with a decision on how much to bet in.

Without question I would always bet in this situation, but how much/how long do you want to hold on if you are getting calls after the flop against your decent bets....thats the million dollar question.