AKo -- Am I being too aggressive?

[ND1991]

Here are 3 plays by me of AKo. I know this is a tricky hand to play, but would you do something different than I did here?

STORY 1 (I think I could have played this better):
Blinds are 10/20 in $20 SNG with 9 left at table.
I am in BB with A K and have 990 chips after posting BB.
Fold, Fold, Raise to 100 (He has 1320 in chips after bet), Fold, Fold, Fold, Fold, SB Folds. I call.

FLOP: K 4 9

I check (want to see what he does). He bets 100. I decided to try again and raise to 300. He pushes All-In. Pot now has 1420 in it, and I have 610 left. Pot odds are 2.33 to 1.

What should I do? What do I put him on?

I called. Turn: 2 and River: Q. I lose hand.


STORY 2 (I think this was played well and got lucky):
Blinds are 15/30 in $20 SNG with 9 left at table.
I am in BB with A K and have 1320 chips after posting BB.
UTG calls. Folds around to SB who calls also. So 90 in pot and I raise 90 to 120. UTG calls and SB folds.

FLOP: 6 Q 10

I bet 180 at a pot of 270 knowing I am giving the right odds to call the flush draw, but I also have the nutstraight draw and two overcards to table. I consider it a good probe bet and he calls.

TURN: J

Pot has 630 in it and I have 1050 left in chips. Right now I have the nuts, but two possible flush draws. I decide to try and take it down and push. He calls and flips up
6 6 .

Did I play this right?

River: 10 . I lose.

STORY 3 (I think this was right and qualifies as a bad beat):
Blinds are 10/20 in $20 SNG with all 10 at table. I am 4 left of button, 2 left of BB. UTG folds, and I bet 100 with A K. Fold, Fold, Call, Folds around. Heads-up with 230 in pot. I have 2330 in chips and he has 1400 in chips.

FLOP: Q J 10

I am first to act and bet 200. He raises to 400. I pause and decide what to do. I decide he thinks I am trying to buy and I do not put him on the flush, and decide to push knowing I have 1130 left in chips if I am wrong. He calls and flips up J J.

Did I play this right?

Turn: 7
River: Q. I lose.

STORY 1: I definitely was behind the whole way. Not great play on my part, but was it bad?

STORY 2: I am 45 to 55 underdog pre-flop.
I am 13 to 87 underdog post-flop (but think mistakenly I have 10 outs when I have 4)
I am a 77 to 23 favorite after the turn. (i got lucky here)

STORY 3: I am a 43 to 57 underdog pre-flop.
I am 65 to 35 with 5 push favorite post-flop.
I am a 77 to 23 favorite after the turn.

In both STORY 2 and 3, I pushed after the turn as a 3 to 1 favorite. That is something you would do everytime if you could yes?

Maybe I should just fold if I ever have K with and offsuit Ace -- LOL.

Thanks for any and all advice.

[volnandes]

On the first one what the guy has?

KQ? KK? AA?

U played well all the 3.

I would play the second a little slower.

[PokerJonny]

Hand 1

I think you played this well.

Unless you have any reads on the guy or other info to suggest he has AA or KK (the only 2 likely hands that he could have that beat you) then I would also get my chips in on the flop.

I would only play this different if I had some info on my opponent - I might lead the flop with a big bet and maybe let the hand go if re-raised and I new the player to be pretty solid and I also had some idea of what hands he liked to raise pre flop, so it would be easier to put him on a hand.

Hand 2

Again you played this well.
Good raise pre flop, good flop bet, and a dream turn - very unlucky.

Hand 3

Again played well, just unlucky.


I like your pf raise in hands 2 & 3, and in hand 1 I think a call is the best option in the BB because you are out of position.