Short Handed AKo
Saw this theoritical hand on another site, and not sure I agree with their actions. Would like to know what others think.
Shorthanded limit game, 6 players, hero is UTG with AKo, raises
Called by button and big blind.
Flop comes K92, 2 clubs and a heart. BB checks, hero bets, gets raised by button. BB folds.
Hero's action? and please describe why? I'll post the other sites' answer after a couple of posts, but I'm curious what others here are going to do.
Shorthanded limit game, 6 players, hero is UTG with AKo, raises
Called by button and big blind.
Flop comes K92, 2 clubs and a heart. BB checks, hero bets, gets raised by button. BB folds.
Hero's action? and please describe why? I'll post the other sites' answer after a couple of posts, but I'm curious what others here are going to do.
Comments
- button's tendencies? (aggressive / trappy / maniac)
- stack sizes?
- Tourney or cash game?
Given what I *DO* have, I would likely re-pop it to see if he smooth calls / re-pops again. If he calls, I get wary, he re-pops i throw it away to the successful set mining... Of course, this depends on that stuff above.
Mark
For the record, I personally would pump it as well, and build a bigger pot.
here's the 'correct' answer:
"Call, for now. In a full game, we have been advocating raising with top pair, top kicker especially in raised pots when there are two-flushes and cards in the playing zone like king-nine. But in a shorthanded game, the likelihood of your lone opponent having a drawing hand is less than normal. For example, with this flop, it is less likely that your opponent has two clubs and is on a draw when he was one of only five players dealt in than if he was one of ten players dealt in. Your top pair, top kicker is a powerful holding in a shorthanded setting like this. Furthermore, this is now a heads-up situation, so there are no other opponents to eliminate by raising. Plan on pulling the trigger after he bets the turn."
While I agree with the last part, I don't necessarily agree with the cold call up front. I'm looking to either take down the pot now and give my opponent a chance to catch a club draw or to improve to 2pr with a 9x holding.
Opinions on the formal answer?
Why you don't repop the flop
Betting out on the flop tells the button... *nothing* about your hand.
Re-raising 1sb into a 9sb will let your opponent call with .... any draw...
So why bet here? It won't protect your hand...
Check raising on the turn will force him to call a Big bet into a 5.5 bb pot ...
Is it okay to give a cheap card here?
Yup..
Not too much can come .... an A is an overcard but you have one... a JQT can come giving a straight but not too much chance of that...
you're foregoing a sb on the flop to try for 2 big bets on the turn.
If the villain is passive you can bet out on the turn ... earning 1 big bet rather than a small bet.
Is this a free card play? You're less likely to run into that in a 6max game...
Maybe cold call with AQs? KQs? AJs?
Maybe... nah...
It's probably pretty small.... right?
Cold calling the raise post flop, yes. I'm still not sure a call is the 'more correct' answer at this stage. My preference is to come back with a re raise and make him pay to draw out on me. Still, I do see the validity of the call...get more bang for the buck on the turn bet, but I would prefer the re raise.