Destroyed my Vegas dream....

[Free_Rollin]

First post on PHA, so bear with me!

I'm playing a £30 Student Poker Champiosnhip event at the Broadway Casino, with an added Vegas package to the winner (for us dreamers!). It's a 3-day total event with two day 1's. Starting stack - 10K, with 50 minute blinds.

I have moved tables with around a 75k stack, well above average, and I'm about second in chips on my table. CL has me covered with about 5k on top. There's 27 players left, with 137 starting the day. I have been pretty aggressive since I have sat down at this new table. Normally, I would try and figure out how the table was playing, but I decided this was a crucial part of the day, with many players looking to survive the day, so I should pounce!

So, I've raised around 4 hands in the first 6 hands I have played. Next I look at AK, I open with a standard 3x raise in late position. Big blind 3 bets me. Now, I'm thinking he is going to do this alot of the time anyway since I have been pretty active since I have sat down, but I feel he might have somewhere in the range of 77+, AJ+. I'm drawn more towards the medium pocket pairs range, and I feel I don't want to mess around with the only player who can take me out, so I don't really want to play a flop with him where I have missed. So I decide, a 4-bet shove might be a good play here, and the range I put him on (77 - 1010), it's going to be difficult for him to call. He, however, thinks differently and calls. He has 99.

Board brings me no help, and I'm off.

i) Do most players call with 99, or similar, in that spot?
ii) Am i a chicken for not wanting to play AK in this spot with the chip leader?
ii) The flop brings Q33 (IIRC), should I have flatted this 3 bet, and play the flop from there?

I know most of my hand is only about pre-flop play, but I'm really not sure what I should have done to his 3 bet. Thanks guys, looking forward to your responses!

[daviebhoy]

You really need to tell us what the blinds are to analyse this properly but it sounds pretty standard. I think after you put him on mid-pocket pairs you should fold to the 3-bet purely because you believe you are behind and don't want to flip for all your chips against chip leader.

[kukushkin88]

4 betting is correct and his call is OK, not a lot to analyse. You certainly shouldn't call the 3 bet, the fact that you mention the flop cards suggests you are thinking about the hand in a flawed/results orientated way.

[daviebhoy]

i) Do most players call with 99, or similar, in that spot?

The fact you have been so active makes the call easier for opponent.

ii) Am i a chicken for not wanting to play AK in this spot with the chip leader?

Flatting with AK is bad imo. You are never getting paid when you hit so 4-bet or fold for me.

ii) The flop brings Q33 (IIRC), should I have flatted this 3 bet, and play the flop from there?

No.

[LeKnave]

standard

[EvilPie]

Definitely need to know the blinds.

If you're 25bbs or less then this is totally standard.

50 or more there's an argument for pot control with AK in position.

anywhere in between depends how you feel.

Never pass AK against chip leader unless you are super deep and you consider him to be a better player than you. If he is better you can shove or pass but not flat because he will batter you on any flop that you miss.

As for being chicken? Well unless you're super deep here you should never be passing. You should always to play a pot with AK because it's a very good hand. You should also want to play against the chip leader. He's the only one who can double you up.

[daviebhoy]

As for being chicken? Well unless you're super deep here you should never be passing. You should always to play a pot with AK because it's a very good hand. You should also want to play against the chip leader. He's the only one who can double you up.

I agree with all of this. I think if we are v.deep then we can pass but otherwise its standard.

[AlexMartin]

when i saw you posted a hand i so wanted it to be some kind of sick levelling war. if im correct i played you at dtd once and at the next months you made a truly sick call with like K high on day 2 for an enormous pot which was reported in the updates? am i thinking of the same guy?

as played this is pretty standard. Hes not gonna turn 99 into a bluff and 3b fold is he?

[MC]

4 betting is correct and his call is OK, not a lot to analyse.

^^this

[GlasgowBandit]

I like the 4 bet.  Not sure I call with the 99 tbh.  I'd also be looking at it as a race from his perspective and do I really want to play a massive pot with 99?  Your hand needs to improve so you want to see all 5 cards so I think the 4-bet shove is optimal play here. 

[NoflopsHomer]

when i saw you posted a hand i so wanted it to be some kind of sick levelling war. if im correct i played you at DTD once and at the next months you made a truly sick call with like K high on day 2 for an enormous pot which was reported in the updates? am i thinking of the same guy?

as played this is pretty standard. Hes not gonna turn 99 into a bluff and 3b fold is he?

He also valuetowned Booder with bottom pair OOP on the river blind on blind.

[George2Loose]

standard

[booder]

when i saw you posted a hand i so wanted it to be some kind of sick levelling war. if im correct i played you at DTD once and at the next months you made a truly sick call with like K high on day 2 for an enormous pot which was reported in the updates? am i thinking of the same guy?

as played this is pretty standard. Hes not gonna turn 99 into a bluff and 3b fold is he?

He also valuetowned Booder with bottom pair OOP on the river blind on blind.

 thought my jack high was good    

[MANTIS01]

The important thing is you were the guy who pushed all-in and villain was forced to call all-in. If you're gonna flip that's the way to go about it.

Also, I am sorry losing a flip destroyed your vegas dream.

[The Camel]

Really need to know the blinds in comparison to your chip stack.

And I'm assuming the prize money is very top heavy with this package going to the winner?

But, without knowing either of those two facts. It's totally standard by you and probably a correct call by him.