A Tale of AKo

AKo is one of my biggest losers, I don't know if I'm just playing it wrong or overplaying it so I'll post some hands to look over.


Hand 1: Slow down anywhere? Villain is loose/passive

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Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A, K.
UTG calls, Hero raises, UTG+2 calls, 7 folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (7.40 SB) 5, 2, 4 (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (5.20 BB) 6 (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 calls, UTG folds.

River: (7.20 BB) 8 (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 raises, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 10.20 BB


Hand 2: Correct to slow down on the river here? Villain is LAggy.

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Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, K.
Hero raises, 1 fold, MP1 calls, 5 folds, BB 3-bets, Hero calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (9.40 SB) K, 4, Q (3 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, MP1 folds, BB calls.

Turn: (6.70 BB) A (2 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, Hero calls.

River: (12.70 BB) 8 (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 14.70 BB


Hand 3: G00t? Villain is borderline LAggy.

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Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K, A.
UTG calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 6 folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (5.40 SB) K, J, 2 (2 players)
UTG bets, Hero raises, UTG calls.

Turn: (4.70 BB) 8 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

River: (6.70 BB) J (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG raises, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.70 BB


Hand 4: Overplayed? UTG and SB are both LAggy.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, K.
UTG calls, 4 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, SB calls, 1 fold, UTG calls.

Flop: (7 SB) Q, 7, Q (3 players)
SB bets, UTG calls, Hero raises, SB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (6 BB) 4 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

River: (8 BB) 5 (2 players)
UTG bets, Hero raises, UTG 3-bets, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 13 BB

Hand 1: The way I like to play the river in situations like this is to check/call. You don't have the best hand very often here, but you induce bluffs quite often when you do, so it's worth the call.

Hand 2: The stop and go is making me think that this guy almost definately has AQ, so I am going to cap the turn and then if he bets out the river, I just call.

Hand 3: Looks pretty standard...he hit his flush draw or jack, but you have to bet/call the river.

Hand 4: The river raise is just bad, nobody folding a better hand and you aren't getting called by a worse hand hardly ever, so just call him down.

How many hands do you have that AKo is losing over? Even a terrible player will almost automatically show a profit with AKo in the long run, so I wouldn't worry too much. The hands look fine except #4 which is just spewing.

Hand 4... why did you RAISE the flop?

Plus, don't put yourself in a position where you can't call a raise. It's very noticeable when the bettor folds after a raise. That makes people want to push you off hands. If you've been doing it for a while, I wouldn't be surprised if UTG+2 in hand 1 had nothing. After all, you're the I-fold-if-raised guy.

Originally Posted by iopq

Hand 4... why did you RAISE the flop?

The flop raise isn't horrible as a free card play if you read your opponents as passive, but I check behind on the turn and fold the river UI.

Originally Posted by Nehmer

...

what he said.

i take the free card in hand 4 and fold the river UI (but raise if i hit a non tainted out).

Hand 1: Meh on the river. He might get a better hand to fold LMAO
Hand 2: Easy pre-flop cap and turn cap (since he can't 5-bet.) Got to go with your read and put in the extra bets.
Hand 3: Sometimes I fold that river, although against that guy you probably have to call.
Hand 4: Do you seriously think he folds a better hand on the river? Looks like someone who is a classic backwards player had Qx. Another possible river fold.

Thanks for the advice guys. Hand 4 was the real stupid one in my eyes, don't have a clue what I was doing there.