AK preflop theory

You are the type of player that gets 3 bet often, as I think most of us are.

You raise AK, someone behind reraises 3-4x, is it better to push here or call???

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...=5#Post8475603

it depends obviously on their range, which depends on your preflop raising position, their threebetting position, how aggressive they are, how aggressive u are.

I don't think that link was very good...

it was just a thread i saw today, its probably not the authority on how to play ak

LOL at shove shove shove?

Pushing is a very specific response. One that doesn't come up often against standard opponents.

Fold unless villain is light 3-betting. In that case I enjoy 4-betting preflop to a point of incomplete committment, or just calling and repping. Generally beating villain to the pressure point is key if you feel equity exists.

The trap people fall into is not understanding that AK-AQ play really bad against a standard reraise range. However, you can punish open 3-bet ranges if you know how to apply pressure to avoid committment.

The bottom line is if someone is 3-betting you light, you're gonna have to get involved with AK. That's why it's good to have aquired some respectable postflop skills before venturing onto tables with open 3-bet ranges from skillful opponents. Though it is funny to imagine someone unprepared pissing themselves in front of a bloated pot when a rag flop says how do you do to their AK high.

Rondavu, are you really folding AK preflop when your typical player reraises behind you? IMO, the only acceptable options are calling, shoving, or 4-betting an amount lesser then a shove. Folding seems awful except to the biggest of nits.

mix it up, same with aa

yea rondavu, there are a ton of regulars at 100nl on stars that a shove back with AK out of position is pretty much standard against.

I understand what you're saying, but if I don't understand a villains 3-bet range, I'm not calling a 3-bet especially OOP with AK automatically.

Trust me, I'm no nit as you know Renton, since we've played. I will however respect a 3-bet if I have no reason not to. If a player only 3-bets JJ-AA, then calling a 3-bet with AK in that spot is silly, unless you know them to stack off with overcards to their pair on the board.

I'm not going to place myself in reverse implied odds spots with a ??

There could be 3-bets flying all over the place for all I care. It's the guy who I haven't seen involve himself in those lines or who I don't know yet that I'm folding to with AK AQ in hand.

Without any reads I think I'd fold too. But if I'm oop and think someone is reraising me too much, I 4bet or shove, but think I should be mixing in calling and check/raising all in sometimes as well.

Originally Posted by Lukie

Rondavu, are you really folding AK preflop when your typical player reraises behind you?

Define typical

Rondavu my stats on you are 21/9. My stats are 21/16, I think I am getting 3 bet light a lot more than you are. I can see your reasoning to fold with AK, but alot of the regulars are starting to 3 bet me real light, or are 3 betting to steal. I have caught a few of them by calling and hitting the Axx. If I think they are stealing am I better off 4 betting?

Originally Posted by Jager

Rondavu my stats on you are 21/9.

wow he must not have been catching cards

i have him at 28/14/1.4 for 900 hands.

My opinion, rondavu, u are definitely a better player than me (like thats saying much), but I think you could stand to up your aggression. I don't think you raise enough pre, or on the flop. Your flop aggression is only 1.4 over the sample i have, when most tags/lags are at least 5ish.

Originally Posted by Rondavu

Originally Posted by Lukie

Rondavu, are you really folding AK preflop when your typical player reraises behind you?

Define typical

I do see your point about AK, if you're up against a very tight range, AKo OOP plays very poorly. A nitty range would be something like QQ+/AK, or something comparable.

By 'typical', I mean your average TAgg/sLagg regular that will repop you from time to time but isn't really out of line. They might have a range of like JJ+/AK sometimes, or all the mid-big pairs, AQ/AK, or the odd suited connector or 1 gapper when they're feeling frisky.

Originally Posted by Renton

I think you could stand to up your aggression. I don't think you raise enough pre, or on the flop. Your flop aggression is only 1.4 over the sample i have, when most tags/lags are at least 5ish.

I think you're wrong and right here. I definately raise enough preflop. So much so that you started 3-betting the shit out of me when you were in my BB at a 6-max. You may be right about postflop. Those numbers may be tainted however by the fact that I see a lot of flops in and out of position for good prices. Limp 78s on a semi-loose/passive table UTG, check fold flop. Overcall a 3bet with a pocket pair IP. Check fold flop. Rinse and repeat. I speculate more often. This may make that number small.

If you're right about my postflop aggression, I am interested in improving it. I'm just not sure. Pokertracker is a funny thing. It measures the hands YOU played against villain. I would definately play differently with an FTR regular sitting at a 6-max with me.