1/2 game short (this is an LA game)

Folds around to me and BB. I have 88. I ask, "chop?" he says no and goes all in and flips over his hand (AK). I haven't acted yet. Obviously I am ahead but I don't really feel like going all in. Do you snap call?

This question probably belongs in a strategy forum.

Based on max. rake and if his hand is suited or not, folding might be the theoretically right play. But other than that, nobody forces you to do anything +EV if you don't want to.

Snap call.

If you're unwilling to put in money as a solid favorite against an opponent who has shown you his hand prematurely in a cash game, consider whether you have too much money on the table to begin with.

As a side note if you do call, don't show until showdown and only if you win. Don't discourage him from shoving and prematurely showing his hand.

For 100BB against AKs in a 1/2 game with $7 max rake, the call wins ~$4 on average. So it's obv. +EV unless you play in a game with really high rake (underground, Europe, Australia) or with shorter stacks like 50BB but it's not as awesome as some might think.

A +10 bb/hr winner expects something like $0.80/hand so $4/hand sounds pretty awesome to me.

$4 pre tip.

But that's obviously in the eye of the beholder. Usually, I would call even if that loses $1 on average because I like to gamble and people at the table only remember that you were all-in a couple of minutes ago so you must be kinda loose. But if I forgot my CC at home and had only one buy-in in cash on me but didn't want to go home yet, folding isn't a big deal.

I get .5248*392-199 = $6.72 for 88 against AKs (took out $7 rake and $1 tip)

I'd snap call, but I don't mind high variance gambles as long as they're at least neutral EV.

Our edge is 6.72/199 = 3.4%, which is pretty solid. You'd have to be on a pretty short roll to not want to take this spot.

OP mentioned AK so if it’s AKo we’re doing even better......a free $20 bill

it's almost a coin flip, we have a slight advantage. I would prob fold rather than let a selective chopper get an opportunity to double up off of me (and never chop with him again).

If there's a BBJ and 88 qualifies, I'd typically ask "would you like to see a flop *wink wink*".

As played, snap call (unless, as someone stated above, that stacks are super small and rake makes it unprofitable). Guy is also an ******* for taking advantage of your sincerity (he could easily just say "I don't chop" which would be fine and then play the hand accordingly, although why do I get the feeling he only chops when he has a bad hand). I'd have no problem angling this guy into a loss in the future.

GcluelesschoppingnoobG

You guys are acting as if what this guy is doing is a bad thing. He is costing himself money. I know it's a short stacked game, but I'll assume $200 stacks because OP didn't specify.

When he holds AKo and does this we call with 74 combos and he has an average of 42.87% equity:
74/1225*(.4287*392-198)+(1225-74)/1225*3 = $1.01

When he holds AKs and does this, we call with 63 combos and he has an average of 45% equity:
63/1225*(.45*392-198)+(1225-63)/1225*3 = $1.73

Both of these are less than the BB which he could have gotten by chopping.

When he has AKs both BB and SB lose money to rake, unfortunately. You could argue that's a bad thing. When he does it with AKo we make $.50 on average, though.

I refuse to call and fold instead because I hate money.

How short is this game? Because everyone else folded, you have to worry about card removal so the edge is not as big as it normally would be. The other players have more likely folded low-card rich hands and therefore it is more likely that V will spike.

I think these games often have max buy's of $40. A 100bb stack is not short...

Better question if he flipped over 44 are we supposed to call?

100bb ez all in. but there's meta considerations, like bankroll.

The stacks in the commerce 1/2 are 40 dollars or so. I don't remember my stack at the time.

Maybe the short stack is a call? Although at Commerce you find way better spots than flipping for your whole stack. I've gotten 100bb AIPF 3 ways at commerce with AA lol.

JFC LLSNL nits are so bad for the game. Can't even stomach a HU flip on the good side of a 55/45 coin.

He put his entire stack in out of turn and ****ing showed you his hand. Acting like this is an angle shoot for our $1 blind is the pettiest **** I've ever heard on this forum.

Loosen up, people. Give some gambly fish action every once in a while before they get bored and quit. Say, "You want action?" When they say yes call and have a little fun with it. Show one of your 8s. If the flop's K93, say you're still alive. Start cheering for another 9 or if two of the suit that you showed are up there, play it up like you might get there. Then say I'm just ****ing around and muck when the flush completes.

Meh. He's not a solid favorite. If it's 50/50, then folding is fine. It's fine to play recreational poker and have an aversion to high-variance plays with small edges that lead you to sacrifice EV.

I don't need to stack off with a 50/50 high variance spot (I know, we're a slight favorite, about 52% vs AKs, so it's about break even) just to entertain the fish and put on a show for them with my stack.

I really don't mind if they get board and quit, I prefer playing with better players anyway... I don't depend on total fish, they're not my bread and butter (and I think selective chopping is very unethical).

I think he showed AK so that he could win the hand without any action.

Anyway, with a $40 stack and $3 rake (I looked it up) +$1 tip, our EV is:

88 vs. AKo:
.5516*76-39 = $2.92
88 vs. AKs:
.5248*76-39 = $.88

Calling has the added benefit of forcing someone to put more money on the table, making the game suck a little less.

If you are attempting to make money at this game, but can not stomach risking $39 for an EV of $.88, then you are underolled for this game and should go home. Actually go home anyway because this game format sucks.

Seriously, anyone who thinks this is a "flip" that you can skip and "wait for a better spot," has little understanding of variance and how much our edge really means here. If you are a rec and don't want to do this, then fine, but wtf are you doing in a casino if you are unwilling to gamble? If you are trying to make money at this game, you should take every spot you can get, especially considering the crappy format.

If I could take 88 vs. AKs for $40 as many times as I wanted, I would quit playing poker professionally and do that instead.

$40 isn't a "stack off", $40 is just a bet. OP didn't mention stack sizes.

Going all in for 100 big blinds on a 52 to 55% favorable spot is just slightly above break even. Slight favorable spots will create huge swings in your game, I know that from my bj days.

$40 is the max buy-in in this game.

Let's consider the 100BB case, but make the situation more generic and round the numbers for ease. We have 55% chance of winning $200 and a 45% chance of losing $200. Our expected value is .55*200-.45*200 = $20. This is a 10% edge on a $200 bet. If this were blackjack that would be considered massive. Even in poker that is an entire hour of earnings in one hand for a 10BB/h winner. One only needs a bankroll of $4600 to have a 1% risk of ruin taking this bet repeatedly. This is the same bankroll required for a $20/h winner at a $200/h SD, which is about what I had when I was playing 1/2. This is clearly not marginal.

In the 52% equity case you have much more of a point. There is actually a very big difference between 52% and 55%. I would still happily take it, but it does become more of a question of whether or not you're rolled to take bets like that as opposed to the 55% case where you should not be playing the game if you're not rolled for it.

http://www.reviewpokerrooms.com/poke...uirements.html

Worth considering the fact that everybody folded pre makes it slightly more likely there are more A's and K's left in the deck? If we know with reasonable certainty that all of the folders are limping in+ with Ax (and say there were 8 folders that's 16 cards) does this skew our flip to where we could even be a dog?

Obv I'm being a huge nit, but think about it... (and yes I know he said short handed, but still)

Expose your cards, show him your ahead, and tell him you'll fold for 3$. His blind, plus 1$ for being a dick.