In an attempt to not be results oriented, I wanted to post this and get some comments as it is driving me nuts second guessing my play.

The SB was fairly tight and skilled enough on the concept of pot odds and steals.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t800 (9 handed) converter

MP3 (t107177)
CO (t46989)
Button (t34015)
Hero (t15805)
BB (t32871)
UTG (t19000)
UTG+1 (t12740)
MP1 (t39493)
MP2 (t16147)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
5 folds, CO raises to t2400, 1 fold, Hero calls t2000, BB raises to t14400, CO folds, Hero raises to t15805, BB calls t1355.

Flop: (t34260) , , (2 players)

Turn: (t34260) (2 players)

River: (t34260) (2 players)

Final Pot: t34260

Results in white below:
Hero has Kd Ad (one pair, kings).
BB has As Qh (flush, ace high).
Outcome: BB wins t34260.

I guess my question is it always correct to call this reraise. Would I define the BB's hand a little more if I put a pot sized raise to begin with? Is smooth calling weak in this position? With smooth calling I am probably looking to hit this hand anyway if the BB folded against a player who has position and has me covered.

The results of the hand really don't matter to me (actually I don't consider is a bad beat) I'm more interested in the play of AK here.

The best play would have been to reraise and push yourself, then you put him to the decision.

In this case, I think I'd call the majority of the time, unless I knew BB wouldn't do this unless he had AA or KK. But this looks like a great steal for BB, and I think the chances that he is stealing is high enough to call here. But again, I still think its better to push yourself than call the push.

Before you even get involved in this hand, you need a feel for where you're at in the tournament. If we just look at your stack, right now with an M of just around 13 or so, you're starting to get low, but you're not desperate.

However, you're playing at a table full of big stacks (who can all bust you), so your situation is actually more dire than it first appears because you can't get into a hand without the fear that you're in for all your chips on the flop - you've got to anticipate that the big stacks are going to try to push you off pots.

So we look down and have AKs, a raise from the cutoff that could easily be a steal attempt, and another big stack to hear from behind us. If we call, we're out of position, so we really need to see a K or A on the flop (which we know will happen 1 out of 3 times). If nothing materializes on the flop for us, we could go all in on the flop (any other bet is effectively all in), or check and fold (because the CO will likely follow through with a continuation bet). Either of which would be a difficult decision.

Or we could go all in now and try and scoop the pot (a tidy little 3600 or a little more than 20% of our stack) and have the AK to fall back on if we get called.

Given these options (and the table environment we're in), I'd likely reraise all in. I can't see how the BB doesn't call you give his chipstack and hand, so I think no matter what this hand ends in disaster.

Originally Posted by Jason75

Before you even get involved in this hand, you need a feel for where you're at in the tournament. If we just look at your stack, right now with an M of just around 13 or so, you're starting to get low, but you're not desperate.

However, you're playing at a table full of big stacks (who can all bust you), so your situation is actually more dire than it first appears because you can't get into a hand without the fear that you're in for all your chips on the flop - you've got to anticipate that the big stacks are going to try to push you off pots.

So we look down and have AKs, a raise from the cutoff that could easily be a steal attempt, and another big stack to hear from behind us. If we call, we're out of position, so we really need to see a K or A on the flop (which we know will happen 1 out of 3 times). If nothing materializes on the flop for us, we could go all in on the flop (any other bet is effectively all in), or check and fold (because the CO will likely follow through with a continuation bet). Either of which would be a difficult decision.

Or we could go all in now and try and scoop the pot (a tidy little 3600 or a little more than 20% of our stack) and have the AK to fall back on if we get called.

Given these options (and the table environment we're in), I'd likely reraise all in. I can't see how the BB doesn't call you give his chipstack and hand, so I think no matter what this hand ends in disaster.

Thats exactly how I'd play it. You can't allow them to push you around. You also can't win every hand and every tournament. You need to create an image of a guy that is willing to gamble and is not afraid to get all his chips in the middle. I don't play online because people are all just calling stations there. You need to stare down the other guy who is trying to steal or whatever and just out punch them.

Originally Posted by Jason75

Before you even get involved in this hand, you need a feel for where you're at in the tournament. If we just look at your stack, right now with an M of just around 13 or so, you're starting to get low, but you're not desperate.

However, you're playing at a table full of big stacks (who can all bust you), so your situation is actually more dire than it first appears because you can't get into a hand without the fear that you're in for all your chips on the flop - you've got to anticipate that the big stacks are going to try to push you off pots.

So we look down and have AKs, a raise from the cutoff that could easily be a steal attempt, and another big stack to hear from behind us. If we call, we're out of position, so we really need to see a K or A on the flop (which we know will happen 1 out of 3 times). If nothing materializes on the flop for us, we could go all in on the flop (any other bet is effectively all in), or check and fold (because the CO will likely follow through with a continuation bet). Either of which would be a difficult decision.

Or we could go all in now and try and scoop the pot (a tidy little 3600 or a little more than 20% of our stack) and have the AK to fall back on if we get called.

Given these options (and the table environment we're in), I'd likely reraise all in. I can't see how the BB doesn't call you give his chipstack and hand, so I think no matter what this hand ends in disaster.

I'd have to agree with you and the others that said I need to push this hand. Thinking about it, I have had such a sickly bad run as of late of losing coin flips I've been avoiding them at all cost which is bringing weakness in my game.

Originally Posted by Jackemy

I'd have to agree with you and the others that said I need to push this hand. Thinking about it, I have had such a sickly bad run as of late of losing coin flips I've been avoiding them at all cost which is bringing weakness in my game.

In a different table environment against opponents with similar stacks, I think it is correct to call with AKs in the SB some % of the time to limit your overall risk in tourneys and to disguise your play (particularly against an opponent you think you can trap for all their chips if you hit). But given your situation, I think it forces you to simply play it straight up.

This is just one of those situations where even if you make the best play possible, you lose.