Project AK Improvement: Hand #1

So I decided to embark on a new project to improve AK play. First some background, then the first HH for review.

From the reading that I have done (and experience), AK is notably tough to play in NL Cash, often resulting in small pot wins and big pot losses.

I intend to (over time) post a series of my personal HH along with my "amateur" analysis for review, critique and abuse :) .

My objective is to patch holes/leaks and show a marked improvement in performance over the long term. I also believe that this discussion will have benefits for the many other regular micro-grinders.

As background, I am a dedicated, educated and winning player (currently 5NL) who really wants to establish a scaleable game, improve and build a base for the long term.

Just for reference, here is my current baseline performance (AK and overall), I hope to come back at the end of the project and show improvement on the AK portion of it.

AK (AKo + AKs):
2NL (209 Hands): +$11.41 / +1.36BB per hand
5NL (84 Hands): -$5.06 / -0.60BB per hand

Overall Performance:
2NL (17.4k Hands): +$100, +14BB/100
5NL (6.6k Hands): +$66, +10BB/100

Would appreciate your thoughts, input, advice, counsel and patience, let's begin with our first hand....

-----------------------------------
Stats
MP3: 64/0/0.5 over 11 Hands
Button: 36/9/3 over 11 Hands
Both players pretty loose but no additional reads given short hand history

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($12.23)
UTG+1 ($6.34)
MP1 ($4.66)
MP2 ($6.44)
MP3 ($1.20)
CO ($10.50)
Button ($6.02)
Hero (SB) ($4.95)
BB ($13.79)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif
4 folds, MP3 calls $0.05, 1 fold, Button calls $0.05, Hero bets $0.30, 1 fold, MP3 calls $0.25, Button calls $0.25

Flop: ($0.95) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero bets $0.80, MP3 raises to $0.90 (All-In), Button calls $0.90, Hero calls $0.10

Turn: ($3.65) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (3 players, 1 all-in)
Hero bets $1, Button raises to $4.82 (All-In), Hero calls $2.75 (All-In)

Analysis
Pre-Flop: Standard Raise (4x+2xLimpers)

Flop: Monotone Flop, put out good size raise for value against loose opponents. Call min-raise AI from MP, choose not to re-raise because stronger hands would call and weaker hands would fold

Turn: Here's where I get fuzzy... Decided to make a probe-bet, thinking in hindsight either a shove or check would likely have been better options.

Button Pushes, Tough decision, pot odds are good (getting 3:1), beat by made flush / 2 pair / sets, good equity against drawing flushes, possible lower TP given loose opponents. Thought hard and decided to call.

Thoughts on line, flop bet, options on the turn and the call/fold decision as played?

If we check turn, do we call a push?

Thanks everyone in advance, I look forward to good discussion!! :D

terms like "probe bet" or "feeler bet" should never be used as a defense for a play. turn bet tilts me. shove, c/f, c/c, do anything but 1/4 pot bet when you and your opponent can both clearly see that you're committed.

people might disagree but if you're gonna get your stack in, flop may've been place to do it. your hand isn't going to improve and his hand isn't going to unimprove. you're gonna have a hard time simoltaneously convincing me that a flop shove is a bad value bet AND YET the turn call is a good value call

My take (still a neophyte at 2NL, so grain of salt an'all that) is the turn bet smells weak.

At micro just clicking Bet 0.02 is sometimes enough to get an idiot who clicked 'Fold to Any' out of the way, but I'm guessing that doesn't happen much at higher levels.

After my 1st post here I was boxed about the face and neck repeatedly in regards to proper bet sizing.

I like $2 on the turn bet and fold to a shove.

any bet whatsoever commits him to the pot, so i don't think that there's any debate over the fact that this is a push or fold situation

can't get it in on the flop, the guy who shoved didn't make the minimum raise
just openshove the turn

that sample size is terribly small, though
that doesn't say anything about how you're playing the hand

I think you have to ask yourself on the flop if you want to be committed. With your stack size anything over about 0.20 commits you. If the answer is yes, then you can make that 0.80 bet and shove the turn.