AK Hand 100NL FR

[gametight]

Villian is a solid reg TAGG. I havent seen to much from him lately and nothing out of line.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP3 ($333.25)
CO ($102.70)
Button ($271.15)
SB ($29.65)
BB ($144.55)
UTG ($59.35)
Hero ($115.55)
MP1 ($156.15)
MP2 ($99.65)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with K, A.
1 fold, Hero raises to $4, 4 folds, Button calls $4, 2 folds.

Flop: ($9.50) J, 3, K (2 players)
Hero bets $7.5, Button raises to $21, Hero calls $13.50.

Turn: ($51.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $35, Button raises to $246.15, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $121.50

Does anyone let this go on the flop? If not, how do you play the turn??

[Renton]

probably just fold the flop.

If you don't fold the flop, then you need to get the money in on this turn (check raise).

[Pants_101]

This is not a good spot for top pair. Your pf raise size and the fact you only got 1 caller leaves you with a stack to pot ratio of 11.7 (on the flop there is 11.7 times the pot still to be bet). That's too high for top pair against a tight opponent, if all that money goes in you would expect to be beaten more often than not. So you can't commit to this hand and you want to keep the pot small. Sadly your villian is not obliging, his flop raise threatens your whole stack with future bets. I'm not sure if there is a great play here - if you push over and he's not an idiot he'll have you beat now or draw out enough to make your move unprofitable. If you call you've past the commitment threshold and another reasonable bet or call puts 1/3 of your stack in. Once that happens you need a very good reason to fold even though you may suspect you are beaten. So you can call but you can't bet the turn unless you'll put it all in or you KNOW he'll only raise the turn with 2 pair or better. If you check and he bets reasonably big you have to fold if you won't get all in. So having said all that with no read on how he plays I'd fold the flop.

To make the hand easier to play you need to greatly reduce the stack to pot ratio if possible. (or increase it) Is there often more than 1 caller to a raise? Will a raise to $6 be called reasonably often? A raise to $6 and 2 callers gives a stack to pot ratio of about 6. You might then decide to commit to the hand on the flop - you no longer worry about being bluffed or beaten you just get the money in fast so you would welcome his bets and raises as they help you do just that. Or you could limp and hope to re-raise a raiser to reach a more favourable ratio. If this scenario is unlikely at your table you could try for a much higher stack to pot ratio by perhaps minraising (shock) or even limping (ducks). That way you can't be threatened with all in without your oppenent making several obvious huge overbets.

I'm taking these ideas from Proferssional No Limit Holdem by Ed Miller and a couple of other guys and would certainly welcome discussion about them.

[AHiltz]

When you bet out near pot on that flop, it screams AK that wants to protect against a draw or even AA. That is unless you always bet that hard on a cbet.

[Ltrain]

Its hands like this that make me really hate getting A,Ko since it is costing me money on strange suckouts and you don't always know where you stand. If you are playing a deep game, what is your play preflop? Fold? Wouldn't any bluff at you over your 30% threshold force you to fold? The solution otherwise would be to play short and go for broke.