I was at a local casino playing 1/3 last night and had been sitting at the table for about an hour when I picked up A K UTG. I made it 15 to go (400 eff)

V to my left utg+1 3 bet to 50 (has me covered) and it folds around. I didn't have a ton of reads on people and the table seemed to be fairly active but not overly out of line. I also have a fairly tight image at this point because i was card dead AF.This particular V appeared to be a competent TAG player and hadn't been involved in a ton of hands, this was the first 3 bet I had seen and I hadn't even seen a hand go to show down with him involved.

I flat the 3 bet, debated 4 betting but I feel like I'm only getting called by better with this V and since this was the first 3 bet I decided flatting would be lower variance.

Flop is JJ3 rainbow. I check V down bets to 40...Hero?

Side note I'm really not sure what the best strategy for these situations in general is. If anyone could offer general advice about Playing AK suited OOP against tight players after being 3 bet I'd appreciate it.

A 3-bet UTG+1 in a 1/3 game is an extremely strong range from a non-LAG. Like KK/AA, maybe half of QQ and AK combos. Although I doubt I'd be able to do it real time, I'd probably fold to the 3-bet even near the top of my UTG opening range like this.

I agree on not 4-betting, as you are ever getting called by worse.

You flopped F-all, and I'd be c/f to any reasonable bet. Of course, he didn't make a reasonable bet, so there's a temptation to try to take it away, but I'd need reads on bet-sizing tells before I'd try it. If he's really a TAG, this is more likely an attempt to gain value/induce than it is a random hope that you have the "fold to any bet" box already checked.

I think you fold AKo pre in this spot, but with AKs I think it's close enough that most people are going to call (it's very close, though and a fold could be slightly correct).

I agree with Garick regarding postflop. Reading into the bet sizing only works if there's history. There are plenty of solid recs out there that can play competently that size their bets on the smallish size. Unless you have a reason to believe this small bet is weak, due to history, then you need to just give it up here. Even if you have a backdoor flush draw, which you didn't mention, it's not a good spot to float OOP, particularly against such a strong pre-flop range.

x/f

nh

v prob has QQ

We need 48% equity if it all goes in. We're not getting that unless V has a light 3b against us in EP. That's unlikely.

Even if he'll fold the bottom of his range (say TT, JJ, and some AK -- and that's on optimistic range), we're not quite getting to positive.

(As an aside, the "called by better" line is strictly applicable only last to act on the river. There are lots of other situations when a bet or raise is the best line, even if it will get called only by better.)

If we call, against V's likely very strong range we're probably not going to be able to steal often enough to make up for the fact that we will often whiff.

I think folding is pretty clearly best. It's helpful to remember that our A & K blockers mean he's only half as likely to have AA or KK, not that it's impossible.

AP, we can't ship the flop, even if there's a club. Even if he has TT+, AK and folds TT and AK, we're still losing about 20 by shipping, and he might not be that wide (or fold all TT and AK). If there's no club it's even worse.

Fold to the 3b, x/f the flop IMO.

How are you guys playing JJ-QQ-KK-AA in this spot preflop?

I was debating waiting but I don't think this is really one of thoseveral hands which require a ton of debate so I'll tell you he result. Hero check folded, I debated floating the flop because of the small bet size but the more I thought about it the bet seemed really value ish and I knew the next bet was going to be more plus then there's the whole ROI if I bink a King and not being entirely sure where I was at at that point combined with not being particularly invested and figuring I'll just wait for a better spot led me to the fold. The point was sort or more the best way to play AKs OOP facing a 3 bet from a competent tag with no prior reads and not much history so if anyone has more advice on that I'd appreciate it. Ty

I meant to say RIO rather than ROI

I wouldn’t worry too much about this spot. Ranges are going to be so tight with an UTG open -> UTG+1 3b that there’s not a ton to discuss.

With better reads you can start adding JJ or TT into his range. I think calling the AKs and folding the AKo combos is fine.

Nit folding all combos is prob fine but if you run pure doesn’t hurt to see a flop.

JJ is definitely a flat -- more set-mining than anything, and am not looking to get too much money in unless I flop a set or open-ended.

QQ is a flat, but I'm calling more flops/turns, and looking to get it in more often on non-A, K boards.

KK is a 4b/GII, but sometimes a flat if V is really tight and will fold QQ/JJ, and a CRAI on any non-A flop.

AA is probably a 4! small/GII pf or OTF. But wouldn't hurt to throw in some flats for deception and GII on most non-KQx boards.

And I agree with johnnyBuz. This is a standard call pf and c/f when you flop air spot.

Fold pre in most cases against llsnl tags 3bets , which you will never see from them too often, once in awhile they may show you A/K but most of the time your crushed and will face difficult decisions throughout the hand ,

Never fold AK off or AK suited pre to a three bet. That is bad advice unless you know villian is for sure only 3! with AA or KK

Okay, so youre basically saying that all the posters who thinks is fine to fold AK off pre here doesent know what they are talking about?

May i ask about your pokerbackground and where you stand in poker (are you rec player, pro,part time pro, how many hours have you logged,winrate and such)wich makes it reasonable for you to say that other experienced posters ITT gives out bad advice?

I typically limp AKs in EP, especially at active tables (where I can consider limp/raising), noting it plays fine multiway in limped pots.

I fold to the 3bet. We're OOP, and this guy hasn't 3bet yet. Yeah, it's only been an hour at the table, but us with a tight image just opened UTG and got 3bet by UTG+1 with the whole table still to react. Our IO OOP are horrible compared to our RIO (compare how much we win against JJ on A/K high flops versus how much we lose to a better hand on A/K flops).

Unless we're planning on repping the J on a later street, I just check/fold the flop as played.

GcluelessNLnoobG

Saying "never do x" to any situation in NL is a bad idea. What you do with AKs in this spot it is totally V dependent. There are some V's where this is the easiest fold in the word and others where it is the easiest jam even for 200 Bigs.

If you routinely 4!/GII AKs vs all opponents, you will lose a ton of $$ long term.