I'm not sure that we are allowed to link to 2+2 so delete this if that is the case, but since there has been so much discussion about AK lately I felt this was appropriate.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...ge=0&fpart=all

Ed Miller chimes in a bit and then some noobs step up, but its a good read and keeps you thinking.

the difference between Arieh's comment and Dan Harrington's KJs example are interesting.

Of course, Dan's play was more of a "move".

Until I learn get get aways from AK when an A or a K hits though, I am raising. Otherwise you are just begging to get stacked.

I don't feel like I need getaways from AK. The biggest thing for me with learning how to play this hand in NL is not blowing my load all over the table. Controlled raises designed to pressure and gain information greatly outweigh the push.

I see the power of calling AK in the blinds more than in limit because you can lose your whole stack.

I now play AK out of the blinds with 50/50 calls/raises. I have little isssue pitching AK on the flop if the flop blows...its just two cards, not an ounce of gold and an ounce of platinum. If I hit my A or K on the flop I'm raising or reraising if in position. If I get smooth called I am immediately suspicious and will stop and go for info or in the face of an obvious draw intentionally give odds to a flush or straight for the turn card. I'd rather have the villian make the draw and get out cheaply than gun down my stack with AK (good cheesy pun right there...appplaud after reading sig).

I'm doing more reading on pot control as I find it, but the concept makes sense to me. Sure its bad practice to give odds, but occasionally you can if it provides you info. A small raise to a draw that is called is still 4 to 1 to hit. 4 out of 5 times it doesnt hit. I'm sure that there is a term for this, but I like to think of it as reverse gambling.

**Let me just through a caution on this. You don't make this play more than once every 100 hands and and I strictly limit it the use to AKs or offsuit. Basically, don't add this for fun because....
1) I am not a pro so I may just be an idiot
2) This play is very DANGEROUS

I am not going all in, but I am definitely raising to cut down on implied odds.

Of course, I never play truly deep stack tournaments either. Typical 10k buyin tourney starts with 200-400bbs.

I guess UB starts with 150 but it doesnt stay that way for long.

An article on my site actually runs through an example where AK flops the top pair. The moral is that in many situations, given (whether or not you think you do) you don't know exactly your opponents hand, betting moderately giving some hands odds (like a flush draw) but getting paid off by others (weaker A) and paying off other hands less (two pair or a set) is actually a very strong play.