Playing AK Suited

[jasongmur]

Picture this: You’re on the Button with A-K suited. The Under-the-Gun player (who’s been playing very tight) 3-bets big. It folds to you. You’ve got about 60 big blinds left in your stack.
Is this an automatic 4-bet shove, or are you just calling to see a flop? I doubt it but, is anyone actually finding a fold here? I’m torn on how to play these 'premium' but dangerous spots. What would you do?
Look forward to your responses

 

[nabmom]

What kind of hand do you think UTG makes a big bet with? Is he opening, or is he 3-betting to someone who already raised? AKs is a big hand, and wins a lot against random hands. But against other premium hands, it only wins about 20% of the time. I don't think AK is an automatic 4-bet shove against a tight player who could likely have AA or KK (or another AK) and may have you dominated.

Then it matters if this is a cash game (where you could be a bit more risky and then rebuy if you're wrong) or a tournament (where a call is a better move).

Disclaimer that I am not an expert but this is how I would respond.

 

[Vallet]

Sometimes several players are dealt premium cards at the same time. But someone finds the strength to throw away the cards on the preflop. If the table is tight or there are few players, then in case of a call, you can play one-on-one on the flop. It's important to feel the situation, regardless of your cards. When to take risks, and when to control the pot, so as not to leave the table. The computer makes a standard choice, but the human does not.

 

[SpanRmonka]

Really need a bit more info here. THe hand you describe doesn't make sense. He is first to act UTG, so he must be opening, you say big, so 4bbs maybe.
If he's tight this doesn't look like AA or KK to me, so I'm 3 betting him, small to say 9/10bbs, to look ultra strong and pot control incase he has weird raised with a monster.

If what you really wanted to know is, A really tight villain 3 bets big, and you're on the button with AKs, so raise to say 2bbs, then Villain 3 bets big, 6/7bbs would be a standard 3 bet, so if he's going big lets say 10bbs.....I think there are 2 options here, there's no need to shove at all here. Its a poor play, you only get called by AA KK QQ, maybe AKs, so are in bad shape if he calls, and you don't get value if he folds.

2 options are to call and see a flop, you still have 50bbs back, or you can 4 bet to 20/22bbs say with the absolute mindset to fold if he shoves, we don't know his stack size, so I'm assuming similar to our own here.

To me a tight player who raises big has maybe very good cards, but tricky ones, like TT, JJ ATs+, as in they know they should raise, but they don't wanna see a flop really, however its also a little polarising, as some players do also bet the monsters big too.

 

[phoenixKK]

I prefer AA ,KK or QQ than AK I feel more comfortable with these cards,its safer.My heart beats slowly.

 

[pirateglenn]

AK suited to me whilst a pretty hand isnt to me a Monster -that said - i have played this in multi way pots but thats always situational and often im in because of the value significance.
Im far more likely to play in a cash game where ranges often tend to be wider too.

 

[fundiver199]

UTG can not 3-bet, since he is the first player to act. But if a tight player make an unusually large open raise from UTG (say 4BB or more), you could decide to just call and see a flop with AKs rather than put in a 3-bet.

 

[machinm19]

Sometimes your gut tells you what to do but in theory I would shove this every time. So what if this one time they turn up with Kings or Aces. Lots of times it will be Queens or Jacks and winning that race would be huge.

 

[KeyPatience]

Picture this: You’re on the Button with A-K suited. The Under-the-Gun player (who’s been playing very tight) 3-bets big. It folds to you. You’ve got about 60 big blinds left in your stack.
Is this an automatic 4-bet shove, or are you just calling to see a flop? I doubt it but, is anyone actually finding a fold here? I’m torn on how to play these 'premium' but dangerous spots. What would you do?
Look forward to your responses

Call and see the flop first!
Punting on AK is a big no no!
Its strike rate is comparatively low against having any other pair as nuts!

 

[Shooter74]

It depends on your stack size... AK suited is a premium hand... in some situations, you'll go all-in (if you're the short stack).

 

[Phoenix Wright]

It really depends on how tight this UTG player is really raising. If they are so tight that they are literally just opening pocket Aces, then we have an easy fold lol. Most "tight" players are going to play at least 99+ the same way and probably AK, maybe AQ and other possible holdings which makes our AK more likely to continue. If they are playing more Ax from UTG, then AK dominates even more of their range.

I'd say most situations would be a call or 4-bet based on how tight we really believe them to be and other context details such as if this is a cash game or tournament.

 

[enno]

Picture this: You’re on the Button with A-K suited. The Under-the-Gun player (who’s been playing very tight) 3-bets big. It folds to you. You’ve got about 60 big blinds left in your stack.

I need more information before making a comment.
- Is this a tournament or cash game?
- If a tournament, at what stage-early or late?
- Is this pre-flop?
- If pre-flop, from what you said, UTG couldn’t have made the opening bet, but did you make it, or did a player acting before you make it (which you called)?
- What are the stack sizes of all players remaining, and does UTG have a larger stack?
- How big was the 3-bet made by UTG?

 

[kunkgreen]

AKs is a very strong hand and also runs very well post-flop, so it would probably be a call for later reassessment.

It seems to me we have a situation where UTG opens, everyone folds, and the big blind raises, and then UTG, who is tight, 4-bets... Is that it? (if so)

Based on chip counts... hands like AKo, KK, for example, should go all-in.
At this blind level, UTG shouldn't have many 4-bets (less than 2% of them, AKs included).
Perhaps we should make some restrictions because UTG is very tight, but there's not much to restrict, the ranges should already be quite narrow.


But I think we'll be left without an answer here! lol

The main thing would be to have complete information, but even with guesses we had excellent insights.
So, @jasongmur , are you still with us?