3 AKs hands for analysis. New to 6-handed and needing help!

I have just started to play six-handed NL cash game and for the first time in a long run I am really ending up with a negative total.

I will post several hands on the forum to try to get some qualified feed back and will start with these three AKs hands that I might have played badly. Please analyse and suggest what to improve. Hand 1 in particular. I should probably have raised preflop there since I was out of position, but please analyse the rest of the play as well.

HAND 1:
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $178.08
UTG+1: $64.70
CO: $43
Button: $27.70
Hero: $107.78
BB: $13.90

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is SB with
UTG raises to $2, 3 folds, Hero calls $1.75 (pot was $2.75), BB folds.

Flop: ($4.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $2, Hero raises to $6, UTG raises to $17, Hero calls $9 (pot was $25.5).

Turn: ($38.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $18, Hero calls $18 (pot was $56.5).

River: ($74.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $30, Hero (pot is $104.5).

(Read on UTG: TAA strong player.)

HAND 2:

No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players

Stack sizes:
Hero: $39.50
UTG+1: $22.14
CO: $163.97
Button: $62.23
SB: $40.40
BB: $55.98

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG with
Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, Button raises to $4, SB folds, BB calls $3.5 (pot was $6.75), Hero calls $2 (pot was $10.25).

Flop: ($12.25, 3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $10, Button raises to $20, BB raises all-in $51.98, Hero (pot is $109.73).

HAND 3:

No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $50.83
UTG+1: $55.07
CO: $11.91
Button: $41.69
SB: $12.25
Hero: $57.80

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with :Ad:
UTG raises to $1.5, 4 folds, Hero calls $1 (pot was $2.25).

Flop: ($3.25, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $1, Hero raises to $3, UTG calls $2 (pot was $7.25).

Turn: ($9.25, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $2, Hero raises to $6, UTG raises to $15, Hero calls $7 (pot was $28.25).

River: ($39.25, 2 players)
Hero

Regarding hand 1, I don't see ppl leading small & re-raising with less than 2 pair usually.

hand 1, yeah call turn... prob call river even though you look like you're beat.
Hand 2 I call GAMBOOOL
Hand 3 I actually check raise the river. He won't call a bet if he has less than two pair and two pair is probably going to bet.

hand 1: you're missing out on huge value by not 3-betting this preflop against the vast majority of opponents, so I'd do that. In a reraised pot, this becomes a dream flop and one that you won't ever get away with at 100bb deep (nor would you want to). I'm not really a big fan of the c/r in this spot because it more or less turns your hand into a bluff I feel, unless villain will call down with a worse ace frequently. You have to find a fold somewhere this hand, although I'm not really sure where to be honest. I can't imagine you ever being good here. If I didn't reraise this pre, there's a good chance I would be leading this flop but it should also be noted that I do this quite frequently and I feel it works into my game well.

hand 2: easy call. As much as I am an advocate of leading on the flop, I'm not really a big fan of it here. I PREFER the action to go something like this: checks to button who follows through (if he checks behind, no big deal), BB calls or does something donkish like min-raises, hero pushes or puts in a giant raise/reraise depending on what has happened that we would also make with 55/66, and we scoop up the dead money in the pot. Of course we also have the nut draw which is nice, and it's possible we can get a call from some grossly worse hands, ie the BB having 79cc.

hand 3: see hand 1. cliff notes: reraise pre, play goot post-flop. The always sexy double check/raise with your obvious 1 pair hand is kinda baller in a way though (ie its so NOT baller that somebody might be thinking on the second level and think that it actually is baller, or something like that).

Here are the results of the three hands. As you can see I lost all of them. Is there any way I could have gotten away cheaper on any of the three hands?


HAND 1:
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $178.08
UTG+1: $64.70
CO: $43
Button: $27.70
Hero: $107.78
BB: $13.90

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is SB with
UTG raises to $2, 3 folds, Hero calls $1.75 (pot was $2.75), BB folds.

Flop: ($4.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $2, Hero raises to $6, UTG raises to $17, Hero calls $9 (pot was $25.5).

Turn: ($38.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $18, Hero calls $18 (pot was $56.5).

River: ($74.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $30, Hero calls $30 (pot was $104.5).

----- SHOW DOWN -----
UTG shows (Three of a kind, Sixes, Ace high)
Hero mucks hand :Kc::Ac:
UTG collects $127.50 from Main pot


HAND 2:

No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players

Stack sizes:
Hero: $39.50
UTG+1: $22.14
CO: $163.97
Button: $62.23
SB: $40.40
BB: $55.98

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG with
Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, Button raises to $4, SB folds, BB calls $3.5 (pot was $6.75), Hero calls $2 (pot was $10.25).

Flop: ($12.25, 3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $10, Button raises to $20, BB raises all-in $51.98, Hero calls all-in $25.50 (pot was $109.73) Button calls $31.98

Turn:
River: :Ah:

----- SHOW DOWN -----
BB shows :Qd::Qh: (A Full House, Queens full of Fives)
Hero shows :Kc::Ac: (Two Pairs, Aces and Fives, King high)
Button shows :Ks::Kh: (Two Pairs, Kings and Fives, Ace high)
BB collects $32.96 from Side pot
BB collects $115.75 from Main pot


HAND 3:

No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $50.83
UTG+1: $55.07
CO: $11.91
Button: $41.69
SB: $12.25
Hero: $57.80

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with :Ad:
UTG raises to $1.5, 4 folds, Hero calls $1 (pot was $2.25).

Flop: ($3.25, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $1, Hero raises to $3, UTG calls $2 (pot was $7.25).

Turn: ($9.25, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $2, Hero raises to $6, UTG raises to $15, Hero calls $7 (pot was $28.25).

River: ($39.25, 2 players)
Hero bets $10
UTG calls $10

----- SHOW DOWN -----
Hero shows :Kd::Ad: (Two Pairs, Aces and Kings, Ten high)
UTG shows :Td::Ts: (Three of a kind, Tens, Ace high)
UTG collects $52.50 from Main pot

Keep in mind I'm not a SH player, but:

Hand no. 2 is a monster flop, SH or not. As played I think it's fine.

Hand No. 3. I'm not a fan of all the check/raising that you seem to do so often. (fancy play syndrome?!) If called you
are OOP with a growing pot.

As for the results:
Sets are for stacks.

you'd have gotten away from some of these if you had any idea what hands your opponents were holding preflop which would have been achieved by reraising preflop.

Without reraising preflop you have no idea what they've got, or how much they like their hand.

They also have no idea of the monster you have.

The preflop raise gains respect, and gives you initiative in the hand. Without the initiative, you're going to get played.

First, I must say I am learning a lot and appreciate the comments here!

Here are the results of the three hands. As you can see I lost all of them. Is there any way I could have gotten away cheaper on any of the three hands?

Here is my analysis without seeing the results (I'm a beginner, so take my advice for what its worth)

Hand #1

I think when you get re-raised after a strong raise you should have folded. The error here was not thinking enough about your opponents cards. AK is one of my problem hands too, I overplay it along with AA and KK. Think about what your opponent has to make him/her bet so strong - my first guess would be a set hoping he runs into a strong ace. Also possible is a looser player who may hold a suited ace of diamonds. So what hands? AK, Aq, AA, 55, 66, a5, a6 and possibly a semi-bluff such as ad-10d, I would think a5 and a6 are unlikely considering pre-flop raise. It's possible he might have some weaker drawing hands, but I would strongly think he either has a suited ace or more likely 55 or 66. Try to listen to your opponents' bet - strength is usually an indictaor but its hard to listen when we hold "second best hands" that look good like AK. You should have folded to the re-raise pressure. Think about what hand he must have to make that kind of bet. What would you have in his situation to bet like that?

Hand #2

You have no business betting so strongly into that flop. You missed the flop other than the draw, so if your opponent hit the flop or has a strong PP (which is my guess since he re-raised pre-flop) you are probably the underdog here. Sure it would be nice to take down the pot with your semibluff bet, but I think it makes the pot too big too fast. I would check and call if his bet is modest and still gives me proper drawing odds (factoring in implied odds). If you had checked you would have folded after they bet large, or it's possible your bet triggered the big reraise...someone maybe slow playing a set and is scared of the flush.

Either way, fold on the reraise as you are not holding a strong hand.
I think trying to bluff into a pot that is not heads up is not advisable unless you have an especially good read.


Hand #3

I think this hand was much less straightforward than the other 2, until the turn. The strength of the re-raise on the turn would get me to fold. Maybe I fold some hands I'm ahead on, but I think respecting these big re-raises keeps me ahead in the long run as usually they are reliable indicators -- at least over time they are unless you get a weak image and people exploit you.

The ace hitting was probably the worst possible card for you, as you probably didn't improve your hand over 3 of a kind and thought you had him beat with 2p, went all in and busted to a set.
-------


...after seeing the results, I see that I am correct. Much easier to do this with unlimited time and without money on the line. I probably could do the same to many of my own HH's I lost if someone posted them.

I think you need to respect strong re-raises more. You have to ask yourself, what hand would I re-raise with if I was him/her? It's probably not a hand that your top pair would beat. Play more scenarios of what he/she has. Stop thinking so much about what you have, it's all about what they have. You know this, I know this, but i'm sure we both forgot to put this into practice all the time.

Remember that most big pots are won by 3 of kind, straights, flushes, full houses. Smaller pots are won by top pair and 2p. If you see the pot getting big, that's usually a tip off of the tier of the hand involved. If the pot gets large and all you have is top pair top kicker, fold.

Reading others comments, I don't know if I agree about re-raising before the flop. I can't count the number of times I've made a big raise with AK, only to miss the flop, and either fold to a big bet from a PP or bet out and get re-raised by a PP. What are the odds of AK actually hitting on the flop? PP's are ahead of AK pre-flop, and usually post flop. So I don't get why someone would want to re-raise with AK pre-flop. I have almost started just calling with AQ AK because the flop hit %. Also, if someone does call a big raise and doesn't hit their set, you aren't going to get paid off once the scare-card you need hits.

Does anyone here with a good long poker tracker hand history have a comment on AK pre-flop vs. PP's? I make more of my money on sets, full houses, straights, and flushes. Top pair top kicker is barely any of the money. I am starting to not think so highly of AK. There are few times I can win a big pot with AK, and it seems easier to get lulled into calling medium sized raises to the turn or river, only to fold to the big bet.

It seems like either you hit the flop and bet, take the pot down, or are beat and lose the money on the flop you bet, or worse continue to bet/call. It just reeks of ev- for me, but I am a beginner.

Maybe I just play AK very poorly and need to work on AK, so perhaps I am the blind leading the blind. The one thing I would remember is your pattern of wins and losses. If you have not been playing AK well, consider showing more caution. I am doing this with AA and KK now post-flop, as I have a bad track record there.

Summary:

- Don't play big pots with top pair or 2p. The higher tiered hands are the big pot hands. Maybe an expert doesn't need this simplicity, but I am not good eonugh yet.
- don't bluff at multi-player pots after a pre-flop raise unless your read is exceptional.
- Respect big re-raises until you have a reason not to respect your opponent -- especially if you have not been sitting at the table long to get a feel for your opponents.

I really need to take my own advice, lol, many of my hands look just like yours.

1. Fold to flop 3bet or to turn bet.
2. Fold to push. Only donkeys call off their stacks with flush draws. Don't be a donkey.
3. Don't c/r so often. If you are going to raise, put in a REAL raise. Fold to turn 3bet.

Thank you for all comments. In particular thanks to mixchange for a long an interesting post and for reminding me of several points I need to remember

About the preflop raising with AK. The main point is that AK plays best preflop and one should try to raise out hands like 66 before the flop. In my AKs vs. 66 hand I was also out of position and should have tried to win the hand by a strong reraise without seeing the flop.

About sizing raises and playing draws martindx1e. What is a REAL raise here? And for the flush draw call in Hand 2. There is $77.75 in the pot and I have to call $25.50 with my draw (and the last player will probably add $15.5 more). Isn't the odds quite ok then?

Originally Posted by Borax

Thank you for all comments. In particular thanks to mixchange for a long an interesting post and for reminding me of several points I need to remember

About the preflop raising with AK. The main point is that AK plays best preflop and one should try to raise out hands like 66 before the flop. In my AKs vs. 66 hand I was also out of position and should have tried to win the hand by a strong reraise without seeing the flop.

About sizing raises and playing draws martindx1e. What is a REAL raise here? And for the flush draw call in Hand 2. There is $77.75 in the pot and I have to call $25.50 with my draw (and the last player will probably add $15.5 more). Isn't the odds quite ok then?

Hand 1 - It's close. You can't assume though that the other guy is coming along for the ride with you. Also, you must know that you're A & K outs are probably no good.

Hand 3 - On the turn when you decide to c/r the pot is like 11.25 and you raise to $6. That's pretty weak.

{ moved to SH forum }

borax,

Hand 1: Reraise preflop. As played I probably lead the flop to get him to raise weaker aces - checkraising is OK, but when you are up against a solid villian I prefer to lead, because checkraising is to strong. As played I think the rest is fine. First I thought I would just stick it allin on the flop with this board and against an UTG raiser, but when you are 200bbs deep I think keeping the pot small is the best.

Hand 2: Ugh, dont lead this this, check the flop and see what happens.

Hand 3: Reraise preflop. As played I like a lead or a check/call on the flop way better than checkraise