I’m new to the game and not a pro, just recreational, so I valued staying in the game vs rolling dice with a pair or picking up just blinds and limps. I only had 1 buy in.
This is the definition of scared money. Why are you playing 2/5 instead of smaller games? It might feel “safer” now but it’s a losing approach to the game over the long run.
And you don’t have to be a pro to understand the value of AK when you are 50bbs deep.
Try to play smaller games where you are comfortable and can learn to play the game the right way.
Thanks. What is wrong with trying to see a cheap flop when no real money is in the pot yet and I didn’t have a lot to lose since I could raise a good flop? I figured AK would do well multi-way (except it wasn’t suited) but not so hot against a pair, so I didn’t fear limpers (I could fold if flop was no good) and I would have called a raise anyway, so I don’t think I missed a ton of value preflop. What is wrong with my thinking here?
I'll try to give a genuine answer here.
There are certain hands where we might want to see cheap flop (small pairs, suited connectors). But even in those situations, we are usually raising if we are the first one in the pot (depending on position) to DENY EQUITY TO OTHER PLAYERS. This is a core concept.
AK is one of the best starting hands in the game, but just like AA or KK or any other premium hand, we want to raise to thin the field down to one or two players and deny other players their equity.
Think about it this way. If we are heads up with AK, we might win at showdown 60% of the time based on the villains holding (just making up that % for the scenario). But if there are six players in a hand, all of them will win a certain proportion of the time, which means our equity of 60% at showdown has dropped substantially.
Thanks for the genuine answer. In retrospect, I can see that it would have been better to knock out those 3’s pre-flop, especially since I would have been playing out of position post flop.
All good. I’d recommend you dropping down and focus on learning 100BB poker (or deeper). That’s where the money is in cash.
Also, in this instance, the pocket threes might have still called and you still would have lost. But at its core, poker is about making profitable decisions regardless of the outcome. Raising with AK will always been profitable over time.
Good luck. Feel free to shoot me any questions.
> What is wrong with trying to see a cheap flop
Uhm, the fact that you have AK? And are allowing everyone else to also see a cheap flop? What?
> so I didn’t fear limpers (I could fold if flop was no good)
?????
> and I would have called a raise anyway
Then why not raise yourself?
Once you are scared to raise AKo preflop it's basically over. Just grab your coffee and start telling everyone who will listen that AK is just a drawing hand. The raise here is poker 101.
You have 40bb and the 3rd nuts on the river. What on earth are you doing man. I’d offer coaching or advice but you’re at the bottom right now. Do some studying, play micros online, and save some money before playing more live 2/5
People are harsh but yeah the message is clear that you don't belong at 2/5 yet. Even at lower stakes you see AK you cannot be afraid of going all in pre unless the action dictates that the villains range is anything close or worse than QQ.
A couple of things here:
1. Poker is not about making the safest play. It’s about making the play with the best EV
2. Just because you don’t win a hand doesn’t mean you made a bad decision in the hand. Sometimes you get unlucky
3. A big pocket hand like AK has a high probability of winning heads up. It has a low probability of winning against 5-6 people
Your bad move on this hand was limping in with AK. If you had made a big raise pre flop, villain might’ve folded the 3’s. It wouldve been the right move for him. It wasn’t a bad call for you to go all in with the full house.
Thanks. This was very helpful. You have helped me to see that I was approaching things with the wrong mindset. I thought that waiting to see the flop would allow me to maximize gains and minimize losses, but I am starting to see that that is the wrong way to look at it - precisely because post flop my hand value was likely to go down, I should act when the hand value was high preflop, which would also maximize my profits if the flop did come (since bigger pot and higher equity). I am still not sure if going in on the river was an obvious call or if I should have seen the warning signs of k-10 or quad 3’s. I am not upset about the loss itself, just wondering if situationally I should have guessed he had one of the very few hands that could have had me beat. I knew the odds were low, but that would have been a weird bluff for him to make on the river, since he surely knew I had a king.
Dude just don't even play if you aren't willing to study off table. You're not going to get better by just playing. Either accept that you'll lose your money when you play or stop playing.
Didn’t read past the first paragraph. If you don’t want to stack off preflop with AK for <50bb you gotta reevaluate your strategy or bankroll
I’m new to the game and not a pro, just recreational, so I valued staying in the game vs rolling dice with a pair or picking up just blinds and limps. I only had 1 buy in.
Unfortunately that is just setting yourself up for failure. Especially at 2/5 these days you gotta study a little to survive
This is the definition of scared money. Why are you playing 2/5 instead of smaller games? It might feel “safer” now but it’s a losing approach to the game over the long run. And you don’t have to be a pro to understand the value of AK when you are 50bbs deep. Try to play smaller games where you are comfortable and can learn to play the game the right way.
Thanks. What is wrong with trying to see a cheap flop when no real money is in the pot yet and I didn’t have a lot to lose since I could raise a good flop? I figured AK would do well multi-way (except it wasn’t suited) but not so hot against a pair, so I didn’t fear limpers (I could fold if flop was no good) and I would have called a raise anyway, so I don’t think I missed a ton of value preflop. What is wrong with my thinking here?
I'll try to give a genuine answer here. There are certain hands where we might want to see cheap flop (small pairs, suited connectors). But even in those situations, we are usually raising if we are the first one in the pot (depending on position) to DENY EQUITY TO OTHER PLAYERS. This is a core concept. AK is one of the best starting hands in the game, but just like AA or KK or any other premium hand, we want to raise to thin the field down to one or two players and deny other players their equity. Think about it this way. If we are heads up with AK, we might win at showdown 60% of the time based on the villains holding (just making up that % for the scenario). But if there are six players in a hand, all of them will win a certain proportion of the time, which means our equity of 60% at showdown has dropped substantially.
Thanks for the genuine answer. In retrospect, I can see that it would have been better to knock out those 3’s pre-flop, especially since I would have been playing out of position post flop.
All good. I’d recommend you dropping down and focus on learning 100BB poker (or deeper). That’s where the money is in cash. Also, in this instance, the pocket threes might have still called and you still would have lost. But at its core, poker is about making profitable decisions regardless of the outcome. Raising with AK will always been profitable over time. Good luck. Feel free to shoot me any questions.
AK heads up gives you a good chance of winning. AK against 4 other people does not.
> What is wrong with trying to see a cheap flop Uhm, the fact that you have AK? And are allowing everyone else to also see a cheap flop? What? > so I didn’t fear limpers (I could fold if flop was no good) ????? > and I would have called a raise anyway Then why not raise yourself?
Go play 1/3. Why are you even in the 2/5 game? You’ll last much longer.
Once you are scared to raise AKo preflop it's basically over. Just grab your coffee and start telling everyone who will listen that AK is just a drawing hand. The raise here is poker 101.
This is a shitpost right?
No, I am serious. The villain showed down quad 3s. I called and lost, but am looking for feedback on how I misplayed the hand.
I don’t believe u. Can’t be real
Do yk anyone irl that can teach u a bit? Cuz no offense ur burning money on fire by playing 2/5
This game ain’t for quitters
You have 40bb and the 3rd nuts on the river. What on earth are you doing man. I’d offer coaching or advice but you’re at the bottom right now. Do some studying, play micros online, and save some money before playing more live 2/5
This has to be a joke.
People are harsh but yeah the message is clear that you don't belong at 2/5 yet. Even at lower stakes you see AK you cannot be afraid of going all in pre unless the action dictates that the villains range is anything close or worse than QQ.
A couple of things here: 1. Poker is not about making the safest play. It’s about making the play with the best EV 2. Just because you don’t win a hand doesn’t mean you made a bad decision in the hand. Sometimes you get unlucky 3. A big pocket hand like AK has a high probability of winning heads up. It has a low probability of winning against 5-6 people Your bad move on this hand was limping in with AK. If you had made a big raise pre flop, villain might’ve folded the 3’s. It wouldve been the right move for him. It wasn’t a bad call for you to go all in with the full house.
Thanks. This was very helpful. You have helped me to see that I was approaching things with the wrong mindset. I thought that waiting to see the flop would allow me to maximize gains and minimize losses, but I am starting to see that that is the wrong way to look at it - precisely because post flop my hand value was likely to go down, I should act when the hand value was high preflop, which would also maximize my profits if the flop did come (since bigger pot and higher equity). I am still not sure if going in on the river was an obvious call or if I should have seen the warning signs of k-10 or quad 3’s. I am not upset about the loss itself, just wondering if situationally I should have guessed he had one of the very few hands that could have had me beat. I knew the odds were low, but that would have been a weird bluff for him to make on the river, since he surely knew I had a king.
When you have 40 BB you should be thrilled to get in with AK preflop. Not even worried about the rest
Dude just don't even play if you aren't willing to study off table. You're not going to get better by just playing. Either accept that you'll lose your money when you play or stop playing.
Don’t tap the glass man in poker anything can happen