There is a lot of backstory involved in this hand. If my description is incoherent let me know and I'll explain further.

NL 1/2 game

I am BB w about $235
UTG has about $150
Button has around $400-$500

There is a Button Straddle of $5, which he's been doing for hours. Action starts on SB w/button straddle. Button has been just throwing around chips and getting there and sometimes he wakes up with a hand in this position. For example he previously called my AK $15 raise when he was straddling. Flop comes out A94. I of course lead out $15 and he raises me to $35. After tanking for a while, I fold. He shows 94. Early on in the session he's had AA and KK on the button straddle, which he's shown, so I get the feeling he thinks he is invincible in this position no matter the cards. I get the impression he thinks he's a good player and he comes off as very cocky. I will admit I am gunning for him b/c he comes off as a dick, but not spewing chips in order to do it. I am very patient and am waiting for the right spot.

SB folds. I wake up again w/ AK. I raise to $15. UTG raises to $35. I've had some history w/ UTG, calling his re-raise all in for about $125 after several people called a $15 raise. I had 77 he had A6s and I stacked him after I went deep into the tank (literally got a pat on the back from the person on my right). I also got him early in the session with a bluff which I didnt show. He's shown weakness before folding after raising to others. I think he realizes I'm at least competent. In addition to all this, just prior to this hand we started talking and I made the dumb mistake of talking of how I want to stay till 1 AM to hit enough hours for the freeroll, but that I'm not really feeling it and might leave early, which is 100% true.

To continue the hand, the button calls the $35.

What should I do?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Historically I have had problems playing AK, especially from early position.

Easy shove, profit.

Easy shove. UTG is 30bb effective & we're only 47bb effective w button who's likely to fold like 90%+ of the time.

It's less likely to be a steal than the A6s hand but yeah out of position might as well rip it, especially with Button's money in there.

I don't know how you fold AK for a small raise on A94, I sure hope you didn't show it to him.

I’m all in.


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I'll respond now because I imagine I'll get similar responses to what's already been posted.

I shoved after "tanking" for about 20 seconds. UTG did in fact fold. That I fully expected. The button, however, called w/77. Before flipping our cards over, UTG said to the dealer "please dont show me a 9", which obviously means he folded 99 and thought he was behind. Once again in this position and shoving, I believe I was repping AA or KK and expected everyone to fold. So yeah I got stacked after I got a straight draw on flop/turn. And I fully agree any normal person would fold 77 in this spot.

But all this leads me to another line of thinking. Should I try moving up to 2/5? I know I know moving up to where they respect my raises blah blah. But to be quite honest w/myself I've been making some absolutely monster calls/folds where people at the table are shocked I could make the moves I am making. On the other hand, while I have been playing poker for around 15 years recreationally mainly online, I have not taken it seriously until moving to Vegas in April and while April I was profitable playing 1/2, May was a disaster w 1/2 (june and most of july i was playing tournaments). Should I give the Bellagio 2/5 $500 cap game a try to see where I am at? I think what was hurting me was being impatient and playing too many bad starting hands and I think I've plugged that leak by getting a general idea of how many hands out of 100 I should be voluntarily entering.

Losing at 1/2 is not a reason to move up. The fact that you posted this very standard hand, where you ended up in an EV+ situation and didnt win the coinflip shows your mental game is weak.

Bad players that make stupid plays like shipping 77 exist at every level. Being able to exploit them is a key part of being a winner at poker. You cannot blame a bad player for playing bad as the reason youre a losing player, trust me, them playing well wont make it easier on you.

+1

I very rarely do it, but against described villain l/raising pre seems to be by far the best option.

Bullseye Tomark, well put.

Your preflop raises are too small. There's a button straddle and you only raise to $15 with AK? When I play 1/2 I open raise to $15 with no straddle.

Thank you for your honest advice. I'll continue working on my game at 1/2.

Why do my cards matter in regards to my sizing? Normally w/0 straddling my standard open raise is 10. I will then up that based on how many people flatted behind me. But you are right my open raise was too small as it was only 3x. I'll also consider upping my standard open raise amount as well. Thanks again.

Open raises at $1/2 in Vegas are the smallest in the US, ime. In the Midwest, and open to $6 might as well be a limp. In Vegas, that is a pretty normal raise size (although 8-10 is more common) likely to get 1-3 callers, at least at the large rooms.

True Garlick, but at the same time its very easy to push the table standard to 10 or 12 (if you would like that). If you do it consistently yourself, rest of the table often follow your example.

That being said, its a well known truth that Vegas LLSNL games plays very nitty overall in nearly every aspect of the game from open raise sizes to stackoffranges.

They dont. I didnt mean to imply that at all.

If Im at your 1/2 table, and I want to raise, Im raising to $15 or more depending on the game. Every once in a blue moon I might make it $12 if I'm opening in LP. I dont care what city Im in or what the table norm is. You wont be calling a raise of mine smaller than $12.