AK HU.

How often do you push AK heads up, even when stacks are deep? I think AK is a good push hand, because many times you get called with A9-AQ or at worst you're flipping, unless dominated by AA KK. You will miss the flop 2/3 of the time, so is pushing better?

For example: We have been playing for about 8 mins now. Villian does not respect my pf raises at all and will call with almost any 2. If I raises and miss the flop, what can I put him on? He has been calling down bets with midpair, sometimes even worse. I am in the "wait for a hand" mode because this is how you usually break these kind of players.. but how I get value from AK here?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

givememyleg (t1340)
Button (t1660)

Preflop: givememyleg is BB with A, K.
Button calls t10, givememyleg raises to t100, Button calls t80.

Flop: (t200) 8, J, 4 (2 players)
givememyleg checks, Button bets t80, givememyleg raises t220, Button calls t140.

Turn: (t640) 4 (2 players)
givememyleg ????????

I don't think I played this great, I think I should have Cbet... but lets say I had Cbet out and get flat called, then what on the turn?

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Another Example:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

givememyleg (t1255)
BB (t1745)

Preflop: givememyleg is Button with A, K.
givememyleg raises to t90, BB raises to t180, givememyleg raises to t1255, BB calls t1075.

Flop: (t2510) 7, 2, 5 (2 players)

Turn: (t2510) 6 (2 players)

River: (t2510) 7 (2 players)

Final Pot: t2510

Stacks are still very deep in accordance to blinds... is this push unnecessary? After playing with him for about 15 mins, I have on a range to call with 66+, A9+, or any 2 broadway cards. This makes my FE pretty low, but I could be in a good spot.

If I had to sum up this whole mess into one question, is it better to push harder preflop when heads up with hands like AQ, AK.. esspecially when villian calls standard raises with any 2 cards preflop?

First hand I would have lead for about 150, folded to a big raise and slowed down to a call. Preflop is fine. As played you have about 1000 left on the turn, the pot is about $600. If you check there is a good chance you are going to be bet at again, where you would probably fold. Id typically bet 400, but with your stack Im not so sure. Id probably check/fold here, you dont have the stack to fold if you bet the turn and get raised. Blinds are only 10/20, you dont need to build a huge pot without much, even your 1000 chip stack if you fold will be fine with an M of over 30.

Hand 2 I dont like the huge reraise. You raised 3xBB, were minraised, and then made a huge overpush here, with bigger blinds I would like this play, but not how they are here. Id raise to around 400, if he pushes, call, if he calls, you are pushing most any flop.


It looks like these are heads up SNGS because of the small blinds. You said it yourself, stacks are deep, dont try to play long ball with such small blinds. If you are confident you have an edge on your opponent, then dont take such marginal spots.

In heads up play middle pair might as well be top pair, hands you would typically fold are hands you raise with, its a totally different game and raises typically dont deserve respect. And if players are calling your raises, then keep raising, youll get your value with your good hands when they do call down with middle pair.

Originally Posted by andy-akb

Hand 2 I dont like the huge reraise. You raised 3xBB, were minraised, and then made a huge overpush here, with bigger blinds I would like this play, but not how they are here. Id raise to around 400, if he pushes, call, if he calls, you are pushing most any flop.

This is what I mean.. after re-evaluating I think I pushed too high as well.. but 2/3 I miss a flop. If I raise to say 300-400 pf and he calls and I totally miss, and if he checks, any Cbet would be committing. Also, he is OOP so if he calls this reraise, he is most likely pushing this flop.. or a CR.

Is this pf push out of hand?

Originally Posted by andy-akb

It looks like these are heads up SNGS because of the small blinds. You said it yourself, stacks are deep, dont try to play long ball with such small blinds. If you are confident you have an edge on your opponent, then dont take such marginal spots.

Yes, they are. I took a break from $22 SnGs to $11-$22 HU and have had pretty decent success. 126 Games, 85 wins; 67% win 24% ROI so far.

I guess at these levels a majority of the people I play against play A9-Q (esspecially Ace Face) like people would play AA in a SnG. Sooo many times I get called AI, esspecially when I hold AK, with A10-AQ... even deep.

That being said, is a move like this marginal?

I would try to find the amount that he would fold a fair amount. Maybe 1/3-1/2 the time. That is probably what you would need to do against players that like to see flops. In house games with deep stacks and people that call too much, I tend to overbet. For example, I might raise it from 5 to 100 which would usually equate to about a tenth of the average stack. Other times, I might bet 3x the pot to chase out drawing hands...and they still might sometimes call! The people I play with are quite loose callers.

Ok time to pay you back for advice you have given me on this forum.

Hand 1: Seems fine. I wud probably c/b the flop. If flop had more texture like flush draw/str8 draw possibilties I fire another barrel if it looked like a draw missed.

I do like your check raise though as it may not help your situation now if he pushes you but it can help train your oppponent early on that this move is in your arsenal and may get you some free cards for draws later on. I do like this play which id do with second pair or similiar. With blinds small enuf c/r here isnt costing too much and help control villian.

Hand 2: AK looks great but its just the overbet I dont like, make it 400 back at him. Get it allin that way. dont like a call as he may bet out any flop a good amt of the time.