Wasn't sure what to do here

I was playing in a $25NL game on paradise, and utg went all in for $15. I'm in the BB with AKo, and it was folded round to me. I told everyone what I had and then folded, and I got berated for not calling. This guy had been a bit of a maniac with raises, and it seemed odd to go all in utg for 35 cents, but I've called with TT in that situ before and the raiser had jacks. Would anyone have called this or would you have folded like me?

Against a maniac? I'm either all in or fold and wait for a better chance to nail him, depending on what his most recent plays have been like.

I don't think you can call here.

Definitely not. With maniacs like that you don't have a clue what you could be up against, it could be 7 2, it could be A A. You don't want to call an all in against anyone with only a borderline hand.

As heatman said, wait for a better opportunity to arise.

Yeah, someone else took all his money the very next hand though.

Having a maniac to the left is a bad position to be in. Honestly, if he was that much of a maniac that you couldn't call with AK, I'd find another table.

Personally, against a maniac, I'd make that call every single time.

I can't believe no one else would call. You're very likely to have them dominated with a weaker ace or king, and at worst you have a coinflip. Only a complete moron of a maniac would shove all in with AA or KK under the gun, with no money in the pot besides the blinds (unless he had been all in preflop tons of times).

But even if he's constantly been all in, and therefore could have AA or KK, its very very unlikely. We're basically talking about a random hand here, in that situation. You guys don't like AK against a random hand?

Note: Again, this is for ring play, and assuming you have an adequete bankroll to play at the level you're playing at. If you don't have the bankroll to risk calling a preflop all in when you likely are a big favorite, you shouldn't be playing there. And deep in a tourney but outside the money, the decision to not risk it would make a lot of sense, if you're the smaller stack. If you're the bigger stack (especially if its half or less of your stack), I think you have to call again. Plus, you gotta love being in a position to see that no one else stayed in the hand.

Thats a tough one. I figure he either had a low pocket pair, two overcards, or a high pocket pair.

So of all the hands he might have (about 60 possibilities?), you're only an underdog to 4 of them (JJ-AA). Its got to be +EV to call.

I guess it isn't really that tough then.

He had AK Natural. Actually, I prefer calling with TT less, as there's more hands that completely dominate you, and less hands that you dominate (since they're likely to have two overcards, or at least one).

I'd still probably call against a maniac though, but I don't like it as well against normal players.

This is an easy one, youre getting even money on any call here, and the only hands that you arent even or ahead with are AA and KK, it's an easy call in a cash game.

Buxx

I only think that fold is right because with AK you're on a draw and have coin flip against pockets. You're going to get this guy's money sooner or later. I'd prefer a post flop situation where I can draw him in with better odds.

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If he'll go all in with AQ, AJ, AT(*cringe*), then you should call with AK. If there is already a lot of dead money in the pot you should call. Otherwise, it's a fold.

He said he was a maniac, so I'm assuming AQ, AJ, or AT are very likely. Maybe even A9, KQ, KJ, etc.

Originally Posted by heatman

I only think that fold is right because with AK you're on a draw and have coin flip against pockets. You're going to get this guy's money sooner or later. I'd prefer a post flop situation where I can draw him in with better odds.

Thats 100% correct in a tournament situation. But a call here is clearly EV. Provided youre not playing with your last $25, it's almost a forced call.

Buxx

I'd agree with those who say call. If a SOLID player goes all-in from early position, it's an easy, easy fold. As Fnord said, if there's any chance that you might have them dominated (They make that play with a weaker ace or even worse) it's probably greater than the chance that they have AA/KK. Even if they make that play with AQ but nothing weaker, it's + EV to call since even AQ is more likely at 12 combinations vs. 3 each for AA/KK (I think I have that figured right...)

When a tight player raises from the front, it's almost always a high PP or MAYBE AK.

Tanaka raised from UTG at my table in the FTR showdown....I threw away my AA, since it was just going to be a split pot anyways

Instant call for me.