Ak
 

I want to hear peoples thoughts about limping with AK and why we do not do this, but we have no problem limping with 89s or something. In the purest sense AK is a drawing hand, not a made hand. Albeit not even a great drawing hand since it only has one side to draw to. It is however far from a made hand. I always raise 3-4xBB with AK but alot of times end up folding it on the flop or overplaying it and costing myself some money. If I limp with it then its easier to get away from when the flop misses. It becomes like a blind hand that misses.

The only reason I see for raising AK pre-flop is limiting the field, and making it more likely that you are going to win IF your A or K hits on the flop. You can worry a little less about a3o beating you with a bad AJ3 flop.

The problem with limping is that AKo usually wins when it makes one pair. Since you now have let in a wider range of hands (including the random hands from the blinds), you're stuck playing conservative poker post-flop unless you flop 2 pair or better. At an aggressive table, early on in a tourney, I might limp in EP looking to limp-reraise. In a cash game, I'd rather play it straight up. raise maybe 5x BB, bet most ragged flops I miss and evaulate where I am on the turn if I'm called. The key to playing AK post flop is narrowing down your opponent's range of hands as compared to the texture of the flop. That's much harder to do if you limp.

I have always brought in AK for a raise simply to eliminate A/rag K/rag hands that may catch their kicker if I let them in the pot and then you are losing a big pot with a flop like K-7-8 if you let the guy with K8 in the hand. Depending on how he plays it you are gonna get drug along for the whole ride and left shaking your head because you are not getting off AK with that flop.
You are on the other end of if by limping with 78s, you are looking to win a big pot from someone with AA or AK if you can, and if you miss the flop altogether you can easily dump it costing you 1 small bet, but can easily win a huge pot with a flop of K-7-8.

Lose small pots, win the big one.

If I am in early position with AK, I usually limp in hopes that someone raises the pot. If they do, then I would not hesitate to go over the top or push in my chips.

From middle position I would raise (not push in), and hope someone raises on top of me. If not, wait to see the flop.

From late position or the button, if anyone raised before me, I would push in and put the pressure on the player.

The same applies with big pairs (AA,KK).

The only time this doesn't apply (at least in my opinion), is in 1) a short handed game and 2) when the blinds are above 300/600 w/ antes.

SNGs?
 

Taz: Are you talking SNG/MTT? If so I might agree. Not in a cash game though. There is no time limit in a cash game, and your likely going to at best be a 50-50 flip with anyone who does call you.

If you play small limit games then yes. You will by far get more callers. I am more acustom to playing 5/5 5/10 N/L games where raises range between $25 - $60. So if I raise with AK (depending on position), it would be $50 or $60 to dance. When you have a chip stack of 200 300 duckets in front of you, it is extremely tough to call. But in the event someone does call the bets, you proceed carefully. If the flop hits you, well you make your move and do it aggressively. :)

In tourney play, I wouldn't change my play although depending on the level of blinds, I may just call a raise and not reraise. Depends on the action.