How to play AK on a dangerous Turn

ryanhealyryanhealy
in Brags, Beats & Variance
Scenario: You're dealt AKoff in a tournament in middle position. A player in early position raises, you call and the BB calls.
The flop comes down A-rag-rag and you bet out with a pot sized bet. The initial raiser folds and the BB calls. At this point about half your stack is in the pot, and your opponent and you have approximately equal chips left,

The turn comes down a Q. This is where it gets tricky. This Q could very very easily have just made your opponents AQ, a hand which many players wouldve called the preflop raise with, and most would call the bet on the flop with.

So what do you do? If you check, or make a smaller bet to see what your opponent does, you're inviting a big bet or raise to reprsent the queen even if he doesnt have it.
If you push the rest of your chips, youre taking a risk going up against your opponents recently made two pair.

So what would you do?

In my case, I pushed the rest of my chips and my opponent folded, showing his A7, but it got me to thinking how easily it could've gone the other way with a turn like a Q or J that could easily hit too pair your opponent in such a situation.

What do you guys think is the right play here? If there is one.

Comments

  • yubyub1978yubyub1978
    re raising the initial raiser preflop to get a better idea of what he has.
    on the turn i would make a slightly larger than pot size bet and fold if i get reraised
  • ryanhealyryanhealy
    In this situation, making a pot sized or larger bet on the turn will essentially put you all-in.

    So, there wouldn't be a chance to fold later if you got called or raised.
  • Phippo44Phippo44
    I like reraising pre flop to define the hand and see where youre at. In late position (pre flop) I think a lot of decent players would release Aq to a raise and then a reraise. Of course a lot of bad (partpoker) players would call with AJ even AT. Depending on the size of the rag, with one pre flop raise called, the BB could easily have JJ or TT (Even 99 depending how loose) and if a T hit on the flop, play it carfully.
  • mragmooremragmoore
    Too many variables.
  • Dave ScharfDave Scharf
    Scenario: You're dealt AKoff in a tournament in middle position. A player in early position raises, you call and the BB calls.

    The flop comes down A-rag-rag and you bet out with a pot sized bet. The initial raiser folds and the BB calls.
    (snip)
    The turn comes down a Q. This is where it gets tricky.
    So what would you do?

    Generally, I have the same alarm bells go off in my head "What if he has AQ?"

    First, what do I know about this opponent? I will probably make my play based upon me feeling about his ability to make a bikg play on me. If he is capable of a big C/R bluff then don't give him the option.

    Truth is, I probably make a substantial bet and fold to a C/R. But, if I consider this player to be tricky or to have a "betting reflex" I might check the turn. One of us has three outs, but who?

    On the river, if he has AQ I would expect him to bet out. And, it will probably not be a huge bet because my check on the turn will leave him "wanting a call." If he has me beat, he probably doesn't bust me. If I am the winner he probably still makes a river bet and I win.

    You are not pot committed. If you are beat then you are drawing very thin. Three probably, no outs possibly, fives outs slim maybe.
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