pokerstars Hand #74051697107: Tournament #502171017, $5.46+$0.54 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2012/01/18 12:12:34 WET [2012/01/18 7:12:34 ET]
Table '502171017 3' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: asofpoker133 (4013 in chips)
Seat 2: Marrs_aka_CB (1410 in chips)
Seat 3: paco_boda (1305 in chips)
Seat 4: IKAR1969 (2625 in chips)
Seat 6: superterry42 (940 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 7: Boidl_8 (1655 in chips)
Seat 8: mythh2002 (2935 in chips)
Seat 9: Strannik1981 (1925 in chips)
Marrs_aka_CB: posts small blind 15
paco_boda: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Marrs_aka_CB [Ah Kd]
IKAR1969: folds
superterry42: folds
Boidl_8: folds
mythh2002: folds
Strannik1981: raises 30 to 60
asofpoker133: calls 60
Marrs_aka_CB: raises 150 to 210
paco_boda: folds
Strannik1981: folds
asofpoker133: calls 150
*** FLOP *** [5s Jh 2d]
Marrs_aka_CB: checks
asofpoker133: bets 480#

What should I do here?

My only read on this opponent is that they are likely to be aggressive since they had 3bet AJ into a tight short stack, im guessing to try and get stacks in.

I wanted to control the pot and also give him the chance to bluff and because the board was so dry I felt I had no fold equity against all of his small pairs and so therefore I thought cbet there was negative eV

As the last agressor you don't always have to cbet the flop but it wouldn't be a bad idea. Especially on this dry board. Why are you letting your opponent bluff when you can't continue with your hand? In this spot you need to turn your hand into a bluff. As played fold. Next time, bet around half pot.

Giving him a chance to bluff doesn't make sense. You would only give him a chance to bluff if you're going to c/r him, not c/f.

Thanks for all the advice I'll take it on board, I would cbet here in a raised once pot but I thought in a 3bet pot it was best to check i'll cbet here from now on, btw I ended up shoving and he called with 99

In a 3bet pot I would cbet the vast majority of flops unless it wasn't heads up. And even then I'm betting some of them.

 

Originally Posted by Marrs_aka_CB

I wanted to control the pot and also give him the chance to bluff and because the board was so dry I felt I had no fold equity against all of his small pairs and so therefore I thought cbet there was negative eV

I think your thinking about this wrong. A dry board is a good spot to c-bet especially since you three bet, he's likely going to put AK near the bottom of your range unless you've been three betting light. The only reason to let him bluff at it is if you plan on shoving over the top which I would not suggest. I would bet a little over 300 here and then reluctantly fold if he comes over the top. You'll still have 30+ BB at this level so you'll have a bit of time to get back on track. If he flats you I'd be tempted to give up on the turn. You got to be careful not to marry yourself to the hand, but I really don't think you want to check here unless you're going to check fold. Also lower your three bet size a bit pre to somewhere between 2-3x his raise. Then the c-bet on the flop will cost less

hes playing a 1200 stack with 500 in the middle, bet 250,fold, and be left with 950 is what ye say is the right play..i just dont get why making it a 950 stack with 950 in the middle and shipping flop is so bad? it just makes life much easier, also i think he can get it in pre more often making 3bet bigger..

 

Originally Posted by thevirus217

hes playing a 1200 stack with 500 in the middle, bet 250,fold, and be left with 950 is what ye say is the right play..i just dont get why making it a 950 stack with 950 in the middle and shipping flop is so bad? it just makes life much easier, also i think he can get it in pre more often making 3bet bigger..

Well I'm not saying it's a good situation. Obv you don't want to be forced to fold, but by keeping the three bet smaller and being in a situation where you can fold I think is better then marrying yourself to the hand. I think shoving for the full 950 is pretty much like typing in the chat box "hey man, I got AK/AQ call me if you can beat that". You gotta remember how small the blinds are here, he started the hand with over 40BB, do you really want to get that all in on a missed flop?. I think there's still lots of room for small ball poker here, save those gambles for when your stacks in more trouble

cbet 200-250. if he calls jam any A, K, Q, T, 9 turn to fold out middle pairs.

Or c/r flop but not against this sizing.

 

Originally Posted by BenFaz

Shipping flops when you miss with ak/aq is standard for bad players.. definitly a bad play and like brennan said you might aswell just type it into chatbox.

"Shipping in standard for bad players" (overbetting pot with ship is may be).. make the pot big enough so your shove is a pot size bet.. i would either commit myself to the hand or flat, here,for the exact reason you see in the hand history..

but i am here to try fix leaks etc and i seem to be on my own with this one, so i guess i am over playing certain situations early in mtts

 

Originally Posted by tyson219

Everyone here is missing the simplest solution. Flat pre.

It's pre ante and you're out of position. AK is a hand that can be difficult to play post flop without having good hand reading/post flop play ability. Add to that our awkward stack size and being out of position and this is a perfectly fine place to flat pre.

This is a very good point, the fact I didn't have a strong enough read on how this opponent would play would play postflop, flatting would have been suitable. I did consider this an option but I felt it was best to try a play a hand as strong as AK heads up or just to try and win the chips preflop, is my thinking wrong here as in I should be trying to prevent myself from playing AK in a multiway against what I assume to be weaker hands?

 

Originally Posted by JoePo

cbet 200-250. if he calls jam any A, K, Q, T, 9 turn to fold out middle pairs.

Or c/r flop but not against this sizing.

 

Originally Posted by tyson219

Everyone here is missing the simplest solution. Flat pre.

It's pre ante and you're out of position. AK is a hand that can be difficult to play post flop without having good hand reading/post flop play ability. Add to that our awkward stack size and being out of position and this is a perfectly fine place to flat pre.

I like both. You can choose one depending on your style or even better mix them.