AK preflop with tons of limpers

[mitodream]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, 0.25 Tournament, 25/50 Blinds (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP1 (t2135)
MP2 (t1325)
MP3 (t3535)
CO (t2210)
Hero (Button) (t3990)
SB (t2725)
BB (t5050)
UTG (t1865)
UTG+1 (t3975)

Hero's M: 53.20

Preflop: Hero is Button with K , A
1 fold, UTG+1 calls t50, MP1 calls t50, MP2 calls t50, 1 fold, CO calls t50, Hero ??

These players have generally been quite loose (hence all the calls), and rather loose in calling raises as well. I would consider a big raise to maybe 5 or 6 bb but I don't know if I want to risk that much considering that based on their previous play all of them might call... what's the best thing to do here? limp in with AK? that seems really bad to me...

[NightGizmo]

If you get too many callers with your raises, increase the size of your raises. You're better off just winning the existing pot than ending up in a 5-way pot with that hand

[JKDS]

Why are you afraid of playing AK, in position, against a bunch of weak and wide ranges?

[NightGizmo]

Why are you afraid of playing AK, in position, against a bunch of weak and wide ranges?

Does AK really play well against a bunch of players? I've always assumed that AK is best in a heads-up flop as the preflop aggressor.

[jaytoi]

Limping AK is never bad if these 2 conditions are certain, which they may be.

1. You will always get 2 or more callers if you raise to 5-6 bb.
2. You will always be able to extract money postflop in a limped pot when you hit your TPTK.

Main reason being with loose opponents the best way to extract money is to hit a hand to value bet 3 streets or jam with. The reason you play ak is to hit a flop, so limping in the above mentioned situation will always extract the maximum value when you hit and ensure you lose the minimum when you dont.

I would personally just raise to make sure we can get stacks in on the flop but it is dependent on the table dynamic and whether they'll call a flop jam with any piece (which can happen in these 25c tourneys). Depending on perceived calling ranges you can also open jam- if villians will call with any PP or A10+ (which can also happen in these 25c tourneys). Basically if raising to 5-6 bb always gets 2 or more callers, it is also likely that villians will call an open jam here with a really wide range.

[JKDS]

I cant tell if your arguing against raising or you think im arguing for limping.

This is a snap raise every time. Even if they all call that only makes it easier to get stacks in when we hit anyway.

[jaytoi]

Yeh 5 or 6 bb isn't a huge risk to win a whole stack when we hit imo. Just musing on possible situations where limping would be appropriate.

[Donachello]

Yeh 5 or 6 bb isn't a huge risk to win a whole stack when we hit imo. Just musing on possible situations where limping would be appropriate.

Never in this situation. Either make it like 300-350 or just shove if you can't play this hand post flop. You're getting called light regardless.

[jaytoi]

Yeh obv. I like open jamming because we get called by AQ/AJ so often here...

[JKDS]

Huh? Seems to me

Raising to like 6x > calling >> shoving >>> folding

[Imthenewfish]

I'd raise like 8x to 400

[Fnord]

I'd raise like 8x to 400

Out of position, I would agree.

With the button, leaving money behind is less of a concern.

This is a really easy raise for value, how much depends on how comfortable you are playing post-flop and how loose of calls you will get if you make it 300+++

[Imthenewfish]

Out of position, I would agree.

With the button, leaving money behind is less of a concern.

This is a really easy raise for value, how much depends on how comfortable you are playing post-flop and how loose of calls you will get if you make it 300+++

I wouldn't feel very comfortable playing post flop multiway and i expect to get called by worse a lot because it's a $0.25 game

[spoonitnow]

Raise and it's not even close.