Betting AK unimproved to the river

[MikeyInc]

AT FULL TABLE 20/40 LIMIT I HAD FOLLOWING SITUATION.

I WAS ON FIRST POSITION WITH AK .I raise .I HAD 2 CALLERS BEHIND ME. FLOP WAS 10 4 9.I BET AGAIN PLAYER BEHIND ME FOLDED ANOTHER ONE CALLED.TURN WAS 4 AND I BET AGAIN HOPPING TO TAKE POT RIGHT THERE. UNFORTUNATELY HE CALLED.RIVER WAS J AND I BET AGAIN. HE CALLED AND SHOW PAIR OF 2.I WAS PLAYING AGGRESSIVE TRYING TO GET THAT PLAYER TO FOLD.SHOULD I PLAYED DIFFERENTLY????

[Jonathank]

obviously. you lost the maximum.

[iceveins0901]

you should end most of your bluffs after the flop, rarely betting the turn with nothing, AK isnt anything.

[Fictive]

Playing AK like that OOP can, like in this case, cost a lot money. I don't mind betting the turn either, maybe about 3/4 of a pot, I can see why you did try betting the river too, given that there was a possibility of a straight, maybe a flush too, that didn't come up in your original post.

However, what would've been smarter on the flop was to check, and if he bet, either muck, or make a big check-raise. Taht ought to drive him out. If he did call, quite often a big bet on the turn after the check-raise works. If he checked behind you, no more money lost, and you just got a free card.

[irishpkr]

This is limit Fictive, no big c/r or 3/4pot bets :P

I might bet this flop but then I'm giving up. If i was playing NL 6max and got two callers behind, I might not even cbet this flop sometimes. Ofcourse you didnt specify the suits of the cards on the board, but there are straight draws out there, and its likely to have hit their calling range (SCs). Turn isnt a good card to fire at again, what exactly does it change? If he calls the flop, hes gonna call a bet on the 4 for sure. Given up by the river

[liladypokerpro]

You have to play AK as the hand it is...a drawing hand...Sometimes I'll get froggy and see a turn with it, but in most cases I'll use the initial pre-flop raise, and if any stay in, then I'll judge according to the flop from there. That is to say, unless I've go a good solid read on the player I'm up against. I tend to get a quick reputation for being a very tight player, and once I've achieved that reputation at the table, it's much easier to bluff people off a blank flop. I like to try the continuation bet in these cases, and most times, it is very effective. However, if you are being called on a consistent basis, this strategy may not work in your favor.

Also, the bet size is crucial. If you are only betting minimum, or the bet is too small as compared with the pot or the other player's stack, then of course, you can expect a call every time.

[PointerJake]

I agree. AK is a drawing hand not all that good on a low flop. I only bluff with it when I have a really tight table image. The problem with trying to push out players when a low flop comes is that more than likley the callers who just called a preflop raise, have a low pocket pair. And they arent going anywhere.

[Fictive]

This is limit Fictive

Lol, so it is. I've gotten so used to no limit, and how everyone around me plays only that, I don't often even look at the game information much. I just see the blinds and go on babbling about.

[liladypokerpro]

LOL Me too Fictive...especially when I've just woken up LOL

[stoffmakers]

like most hands when you dont connect, make a continuation bet to see where ur at, and if they call, it might be wise just to check the turn, but if u bet and they call again, why bet the river too, u gotta figure ull be getting called with those odds.

[MikeyInc]

thanks guys for your help!!! anyone else ?

[Bren_Osoro]

The bet on the flop is pretty much mandatory, and I definitly bet the turn in this situation. On a 10, 4, 9 flop he will call with such a wide range, any two overcards, that he will probably fold to turn bet, and the 4 is not likely to help him. The jack on the river is a teribble card. If he had QJ he paired the jack, KQ made a Straight, AJ paired the jack. The only hand he might fold is AQ, and you would beat that by checking, so there's no value in having him fold that hand. He'll call that bet with any pocket pair, or any of the above mentioned hands so when he folds you gain nothing because you would have won the pot anyway, and when he calls you lose more money. I would check/fold that river.

[MikeyInc]

My HEROS all Of YOU .. i took the advice and have become a well rounded poker player thanks guys


see u @ the tables

[evangelion2727]

if you cant bluff someone off 2s after raising every street there is something wrong with your image or the amount you are betting.

[frob23]

if you cant bluff someone off 2s after raising every street there is something wrong with your image or the amount you are betting.

This is limit, he can't control the amount of the bet only that he makes it. Without a clear and complete hand history, I can't comment on how the person played the 2s but it's perfectly reasonable. In many cases, this could be reasonable because you can reasonably put the pre-flop raiser on a hand like A-K or A-Q and be fairly certain the flop didn't help them. They might have a big pair but they aren't sure to have one. That turn surely didn't help the pre-flop raiser's hand (and this is where I believe the 2-2 hand should have raised and been willing to lay down the hand if reraised -- for the same cost as calling the river but without offering a free card to beat him if he was ahead). Now the river is not great for the 2-2 hand because K-Js, A-J, and QJs all made it with that card. But the pot is large enough that the 2-2 hand is almost compelled to call. The pot should be about $310 and he needs to call $40. He's getting almost 8-1 on this call and it's a huge mistake for him to fold the winning hand here. Crying call, for sure, but once he's gone this far and the pot has become this large... he makes it.

[Vito_Nuccio]

Yes, limit...................Hard to push someone off of a hand or draw. Even if one does not make the hand at the river, a call may be made by one with some crap pair, no kicker that beats your AK. In a limit game when the hand is heads up, you can be at the flop and only have to worry about one half bet and two full bets for the rest of the hand. Most draws will take this road, and will probably show down regardless.

If playing NL, the amount of your bet can vary to such a degree that now playing the unhelped AK to the river takes a different spin. You now have the ability to push someone off their hand.

Thanks Mikey........