Random Drivel
This week’s a short one for me, I work through Wednesday and then I’m off for eight days. Woo Hoo ! There aren’t any big plans for the time off just kicking back and spending time with family.
If you haven’t seen them already, be sure to stop by Waffles site for the first two segments of the Waffles Video Blog. (One of the two clips contains patented Waffle’s ranting…you’ve been warned). This is great stuff and I hope he continues doing this for future tournaments.
The Blogfather is back on a new site joining the Pokerworks team. Evidently Guinness and Poker isn’t going away but the “ubers” will be posted on the new site. It’s good to see that he’ll be sticking around for awhile longer. Not only is he back blogging, he’s also been showing up to most of the blogger tourneys recently and kicking some ass. The wee one is a playa for sure.
Full Tilt hasn’t posted them yet but we are still on for The Mookie tournaments this week. Lucky, lucky, lucko21 is the defending champ and one of the stars of the Waffle’s Video Blog. This week’s 2nd Chance tourney will be $5 NLHE Turbo event. I haven’t given up on the 80 mark, but with the holiday week there’s no way we get anywhere close to that. It will still be a load of fun so come join us. I’m still looking for a guest blogger for this week’s live blogging. If you are interested leave a comment and I’ll hook you up with a login. Smokkee did an awesome job last week and will fill in again in the future.
I’ll finish this drivel with some actual poker content. Big Slick. Everyone’s favorite hand right ? More and more I find myself in situations with this hand facing tough decisions. Back in the day I was a jam-it-in-there type of guy regardless of the situation, my position or anything else. Lately though I find myself playing this hand much slower especially in cash games. A lot more smooth calls especially out of position. I’m not sure this is always the right play but it’s easier to get away from when I whiff on the flop.
In recent NLHE tournaments however I’ve faced a couple situations with AK and was torn on what to do. First up is from the tourney this weekend at the Big O.
With blinds at 3,000/6,000 we were down to 6 players with only 4 spots paying. I had a stack of around 75,000 (the chipleader had well over 100,000, two other people had stacks around 80,000 and the other two players had shortstacks in the 35,000 range) and was in the SB with AKo. A tight player (shortstacked) limped in UTG and the action folded around to the chipleader on the button who made it 35,000 to go. What to do, what to do ? My options here were obviously jam or fold and I spent a long time looking at the different stack sizes, blinds, etc., etc. What would you do ?
The other hand is from a single table SNG where we were down to the bubble with one big stack player and the rest of us with 3k stacks. The blinds were 150/300 (I think) and a loose player with the same size stack as me limped in UTG and it folded to me in the BB with AKo. What to do, what to do ? This time I could have obviously checked, raised, or jam. I ended up betting the pot which was nearly half my stack and pushed in on a whiffed flop. I don’t think this was the best option. What would you do ?
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Post an easy question, why don’t you? GEEZ!
That’s a rough, rough spot to be in, Mook. Holy cow. I think my decision would depend on a few factors:
1) The play of the shortstack
2) The play of the chipleader
3) My table image
4) The prize structure
Based on the limited information you’ve given me, I’m going to push here. The chipleader is obviously betting a large amount of chips to try to make me fold (or at least that’s what it looks like from my limited view).
I’ll admit that I worried about the shortstack (and I’m still a bit worried about him), but I’m going to take a shot here because I can gain a large number of chips, I have a decent number of outs if someone calls, and I don’t think the chipleader has a big hand.
Waffles doesn’t sound like a curmudgeon, surprisingly. I thought he’d sound more like a guy who’s been smoking unfiltered cigarettes for 30 years.
I actually like the 1/2 stack – JAM option. Sure your opponent MAYYY see something they like on the flop.. but if not you have a much better chance of getting them to fold the hand. If they do not fold it is the same as if you jammed pre-flop. Obviously sometimes it does not work out well but alot of times you can gain 1/2 a stack and not have to see the dreaded river card..
In a cash game I tread lightly with AK all the time. No need to get into races. It is cash. You have forever. Wait and beat them by outplaying not push-monkeying.
Hand 1 – Ok, my normal play is to fold which will probably help you get to the money, but not win. With the correct reads on the big stack, you should push. The limper can have anything, even AA, but I think the Big Stack might just be making a big stack move. Heck you hope he is making a move with something like A9.
Hand 2 – You have AK with a limper in front of you. Checking is not an option for me and you are out of position for the hand. I am jamming right there. You are more likely to have the better hand pre-flop than after the flop. And that’s when I like to get my money, when its most likely the best hand. Based on your actual play of the hand you were pushing either way and by playing it this way you increased the chance of it being the worst hand.
Thanks for all the feedback…
To answer some of the questions…
1. The play of the shortstack was very tight however they only had roughly 35,000 chips so the big stack raise basically put that player all in if they wanted to play the hand.
2. The chipleader was playing a loose game and hand range was pretty wide.
3. My image up to that point was somewhat tight as early on at the final table I folded for nearly two orbits.
4. Prize structure was 4 spots (45%, 30%, 15%, 10%)
I ended up folding the hand, but think I probably should have called for a chance at a big chipstack which would help in winning the whole thing.
I’m still on the fence on the other hand, I can see the advantages of both jamming preflop and raising and then pushing on the flop. I think the problem here is that if the UTG calls the raise he probably isn’t going to fold on the flop regardless of what it is due to the pot size and our similar stack sizes.
It appears I’m quite late, but in the first one I’d fold because if AK is anything, its a drawing hand, and that close to the bubble you don’t wanna go broke with it. Unless, of course, your main focus is to win, in which case you push and hope for the best.
In the 2nd hand, I think I’d probably push preflop. Its a bit of an overbet, but it puts your opponent to a decision and gets all your money in with a pretty good hand. The only problem w/a bet of any less is that if you miss, you’re now on a little over 2xBB stack, and you’re forced to either check or bluff-push like you did, of which neither are great plays. I dunno. This is a tough one. This is the type of hand that *really* makes you hate AK. Fantastic example.
Based on the information you provided, Mook, I’m DEFINITELY jamming there. Tight players, especially ones who are short in chips, will get out of the way of a raise for all of their chips and an all-in unless they have AA or *maybe* KK. The bigstack might call you (depending on how loose he’s playing), but that’s okay due to your hand.
In the SnG hand (since I missed it the first time around), I’d jam in a heartbeat. You’re first to raise and everyone else will look at your push as a possibility of getting eliminated.
I would push in both situations. I think near the bubble is the time to be confident and aggressive with AK.
Your comments on playing AK in a cash game are right on with my thinking in that you don’t want to play it too hard preflop.
The reoccurring theme here seems to be jam in both instances. Thanks so much for all the feedback.