On a recent trip to Vegas the following hand came up which i still think about a little bit. I seldom play no-limit cash games, almost exclusively limit.

1/2 at MGM, table with bad tourists, one old rock, and 2 good, thinking locals, both on my left.

UTG opens to $10
2 calls to me, i look down at AKs. Considered 3! but since table was so bad and action was non-existent on 3 bets decided to call and play post flop.

Next player to my left, one of the 2 regs, 3! to $70.
Effective stacks were approx $400 each.
I put him on 10's+ AK due to my observations over the previous hour, and discounted the bluff completely.

Folds to me.... $110 pot size to call $60.

Easy call with implied odds? Anyone advocate for a 4 bet?

I tanked... and mucked given my reads and lack of position, reasoning that the table was soft and there were only 2 players at the table i really preferred not to get stacks in against.

Thx in advance for all comments, unless they are to call me a nit (which i already know)....


P.S. Since i rarely post, couldn't figure out how to do a spoiler. He ended up showing me his cards...and we actually talked quite a bit after that hand (and stayed out of each other's way)...

3-bet pre.

Now call

I'd just fold

Don't always 3 bet pre, the $10 call helps him misread your hand and gives you more reason to call now. I think someone else raising and getting the flop HU for you with your hand staying semi-disguised is near perfect. Only thing better would have been one other guy in EP calling to make the numbers look better and take away attention from your hand's strength.

$70 seems high but with 3 limpers for $30 total already it doesn't seem out of line for a hand that doesn't want to flop 4 ways. You're much more likely to be dominating him or racing against smaller broadway pairs than being crushed yourself by AA/KK, the suitedness helps you even more.

Flop it.

Oh, and I would say definitely not to a reraise. No reason to 4 bet him back, don't put stacks on the line early when you can see 5/7 cards for the numbers you got offered.

Once you flat the initial raise, I fold to the 3-bet given the sizing.

I don't think IO help you here unless you think V can 3-bet AQ, which seems unlikely given the lack of 3-bets. You're about 2:1 against hitting a pair on the flop. If he has a pair, he's going to proceed very carefully when over cards hit, unless he hits a set. If there are no over cards to his pair, then he'll probably bet flop and you won't be able to see turn and river. If he has AK too, then when you both miss he wins given initiative, and when you both hit you chop. You basically only have IO when you hit a straight or flush.

Note that if you were the initial raiser, you could consider 4-betting here hoping he folds hands that are flipping with yours. However, once you flat the initial raise you're very unlikely to have AA or KK and your 4-bet has much less fold equity.

I would fold pre and move on, so far you have invested only $10. You will be out of position facing agression.

Fold

wtf, easy back jam for 400 or less. Folding's really bad.

Calling first time probably a sizeable mistake too. 17~ bbs is nothing to sniff at.

70 seems standard to regs on a small raised pot..10 is only 5BB raise which is low to typical pfr live especially mgm. I'd other float or shove. I ikea to gamble against a regular though, especially call shove..meaning at worst they are on a flip which is a fold and t best you slow played nuts..3 out of 4 they fold..also, easy easy move to buy the preflop chippies since it was played so weak. Next time get them out. Your want to play against the vacationers not the regs...but youre it folding then after they fold talk ev and hand range then they'll stop cheating you given position the you don't have to worry about out playing obviously more experienced players

really really easy shove

I think not 3-betting initially is also extremely bad when there's already callers to the initial raise and will be more callers behind you. Winning what's in the pot already is already a fine outcome if they fold.

Can't say it's a 3bet without reads. Some players wont UTG raise without KK+

Tons of 1-2 V wont ever 3-bet without KK+

I think hero took the best line here.

If the game was more aggressive then jamming AKs could help us get paid off huge when we get dealt a premium but hero has no reason to believe that opponents aren't playing face up poker.

I prefer a 3 bet pre because this hand doesn't love a ton of lumps behind. Calin and playing out of position is horrible. I'd rip it, you have a great hand that is under represented.

lol at shoving here. No reason to 3bet pre as you would fold out most of the hands you dominate.

As played it is a tough spot however given 200bb stacks I would call and evaluate. As you don't play much cash and this is a "good thinking local" folding is ok, I just think your giving away too much value.

This.

3bet pre, as played shove

We have 43% against the range provided in OP and need 46%. Our FE is pretty low given our FOS line and I don't get the impression hero wants to go to the felt for 200 BB's in a borderline 0EV spot depending on FE.

Who opened to $10? If it's the rock, let's not 3 bet but as described 'there's no action on 3bets'...well taking down $30 without contest is an excellent result with AKss.

A table that is going to fold to all three bets is a great reason to 3bet with AK. Winning 1.5 hours of profit if you are a crusher in NLHE is a good result. As played, you have no implied odds other than reverse. If the villain can't beat your TP, he's folding. With his range, you're folding if you don't hit TP.

I like the shove after you butcher the beginning because your play looks like you've got TT or JJ. You're going to get lighter calls.

Thx for all the replies.

V showed me QQ...

We talked quite a bit after that hand, and he stayed out of my way the rest of the night, which was nice as i was able to raise limpers regularly and took many pots with a C-bet.

I realize that my initial mistake was not 3 betting, but at the end of the day i'm glad i didn't flip. Had either I or V had shorter stacks the decision process at that point would have been different.