I have been playing poker for a number of years now live and online and consider myself to be TAG, I would be very interested in peoples thoughts on this situation as after all this time never sure how to play it?

Lets assume a cash ring game with 6 players, 1$nl TH with regs mixing it up.

You wake up in SB with AK, 1st to act raises 3bb then folds to CO whom 3bets to 9bb, are we folding here?

My thinking is:
Do I want to be in a 3 way pot out of position with a drawing hand, what if the original raiser 4 bets if I flat called which I am not in favour of, any of these 2 players could have 1 or more of my outs if I found myself in a race. At worse I could be up against AA KK, as I have only 1/2bb invested IMO a fold here is the best option and wait for a better spot. Your thoughts please????

4bet big enough for them to know you're serious about the hand. If they come over the top, it will more than likely be allin in which you have a decision to make. Me personally, I have a hard time folding AK pre.

the way small stakes plays nowadays, assuming both are winning regs, UTG will be opening 15-20% and CO will be 3betting something like JJ or QQ+, AKs, sometimes AKo. against this range AKo is getting crushed pretty hard. If you cold 4bet you would also have to worry about UTG showing up with AA or KK, which will happen somewhat frequently given how strong his starting range is. I'd just fold pre from sb

Folding without a second thought.

i agree that we're pretty crushed when we gii given positions. thoughts on flatting, especially if co has any bluffing range at all?

It really depends on the table and opponents' tendencies and perceived ranges'. I could be alone on this, but my feelings are the 3bb raise is such a weak raise ( small to mid pocket pairs or suited ace) he he's trying to build up a pot with a draw type hand and hopes to get many callers. The CO feels this as well and could be 3 betting lightly knowing he's in position. I don't think calling is bad in this spot or even 4 betting imo. Once again it really depends on the table and players but that's how I felt when reading how this hand played out.

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Disagree with this completely. If you're raising 3 bb's every hand, It's balanced for sure. can have 88+ just as easily here.

Hate folding, but hate 4-betting. I honestly think the best bet is cold calling the 3-bet a decent chunk, maybe cold 4-bet? But you're basically telling someone you're committed and your hand is face up. If I'm super deep I don't mind a call, as your hand is really under-repped. Would rather play some flops and turns then just give up. If you're folding AK here, what are you calling with and what are you 4-betting with? leads to getting exploited for sure.

4bet/fold to 5bet jam

4-bet-folding vs most people is fine, CO will be IP(so more inclined to flat) and you represent a really really strong range, most guys won't get out of line by 5-betting shoving light here unless you have some serious history.

These pre-flop spots are tough because if everyone at the table is always stacking off pre-flop with AK/QQ, then if you only do it with AA/KK, you will be making money in that dynamic. Now, if everyone is stacking off with AA/KK only, you will be printing with ur AK/QQ, since you will get a lot of money from their 4-bets/3-bet-folds.


My most fundamental standard is this on spots like these: If there's any extra amount of dead money in the pot, then I'm getting in with QQ/AK.

If UTG opens, MP calls, CO squeezes, GG, money is going in no matter what.
I squeeze, guy 4-bets, GG, money is going in, no matter what.
BTN 3-bets CO, I cold 4-bet, he calls IP, open jamming AK on any board.
If there's a chance the guy is calling ur cold 4-bets with SCs and that kind of bull****, just push the all-in button.
Also if you fold their AK it's a huge win for you lol.

Thanks for your comments folk just as a footnote will end the story, I was running a bit cold so had tightened up a bit as you tend to. I did fold because alarm bells went off in my head as the CO looked very excited and noticed he placed his chips very close to the line just like he was expecting them back. My hand went in the muck, the original raiser pushed in and was snapped called, AA and QQ were turned over. We did see an A and K on the flop so making this hand a good fold, however thinking long term I have to feel I played this hand badly.

Well you made the right read at the time and saved yourself a stack. Well done. I personally struggle with laying AK down preflop and I usually pay the price for it.

wp

If (and only if) you had a really strong read of strength I like the fold. Otherwise, call.

In most 6-handed low-stakes games, AQ, AJs, KQs will show up in 3bet ranges, along with a bunch of suited connectors raised as a semi-bluff. I think you're giving up quite a bit of value, especially since you're blocking combos of AA and KK.

Note that 4-betting sucks because it folds out the hands you beat.

I think for heads up situation you are correct, however we have a 3 way pot plus out of position. If the villains have AQ and say KJ we are head a big 70%+ and would call every day of the week and twice on a Sunday, now if one of these guys has any PPs (as we know at low stakes people will over value TT, JJ & QQ) it screws the maths up as we are less than a 40% dog.

Food for thought!