What should I have done?

[Gareth]

As I've said in my intro, I'm a bit green and learning.
I played in a live tourney in a local casino a few weeks back and made it to the final table (10) from a starting field of 45ish. I was pleased as it was only my 2nd live game. It was a £25 buy in with a one rebuy or top up
I started nervously and only played big hands but I kept accruing chips. Managed to relax a bit and join in a bit of banter. I didn't bluff one single hand as I haven't yet got the hang of when and when not to blag (any pointers??)
I took around 27k chips to the final table and was around 5th. blinds were 1/2k and very first hand I was dealt AKo. The table folded to the player to my right and he raised to 6k. I re-raised to 15k and he went all in (32k ish!)
Should that have been enough to make me fold? He had played with some real rubbish and mixed his game around so I wasn't sure what he was holding. I then felt pot committed and stuck my remaining 12k in. He turned AA and though the board paired my K's (and flopped a 10 Q) my tourney was over.
Any advice on what I could have done better?
Thanks
G

[TankmanDan]

Wow, that's harsh. There is an argument for flat calling the raise which is a pretty weak one tbh. (a weak argument, not a weak raise).
It also depends on your position and how many people to act after you. If the raiser has a wide range, you may want to see a flop and see if you can spike your king or ace. He could have anything from a middling pair to a good pair or A-x. If you hit the flop you are fairly confident you have him dominated. If you think you have a read on his play then maybe he's coming in with connectors or gappers and you can make a judgement based on his betting as to how much of the flop he's got.

However, in truth, I don't think you or most other people are getting away from that hand preflop. You are raising or reraising with it 95% of the time, and if he then comes over the top all in, you are pot-commited and your chips will go in the middle. At the point he reraises you all-in you know he has a hand as he's risking his tourney life knowing that you can't fold. It is not a super-bold bluff to get you off the hand, because he knows you're pot-commited too, and is happy to go on with his hand.

Just unlucky that you had to walk into aces there buddy, I'm guessing you missed the money with only 45 runners? There's always next time.....

[waltypies]

To be honest with you there mate there is not much you can do about that

I would have pushed his 1st raise. Just take it as a cooler moment as they sometimes happen in poker

Welcome to the forum though

[Gareth]

Wow, that's harsh. There is an argument for flat calling the raise which is a pretty weak one tbh. (a weak argument, not a weak raise).
It also depends on your position and how many people to act after you. If the raiser has a wide range, you may want to see a flop and see if you can spike your king or ace. He could have anything from a middling pair to a good pair or A-x. If you hit the flop you are fairly confident you have him dominated. If you think you have a read on his play then maybe he's coming in with connectors or gappers and you can make a judgement based on his betting as to how much of the flop he's got.

However, in truth, I don't think you or most other people are getting away from that hand preflop. You are raising or reraising with it 95% of the time, and if he then comes over the top all in, you are pot-commited and your chips will go in the middle. At the point he reraises you all-in you know he has a hand as he's risking his tourney life knowing that you can't fold. It is not a super-bold bluff to get you off the hand, because he knows you're pot-commited too, and is happy to go on with his hand.

Just unlucky that you had to walk into aces there buddy, I'm guessing you missed the money with only 45 runners? There's always next time.....

Thanks for taking time to reply
Everybody bar him folded after my original re-raise so the pot wasonly 2 handed.
I did miss out on any cash, I think they paid the top 7 but for £27.50 I had acracking night out!

[Gareth]

To be honest with you there mate there is not much you can do about that

I would have pushed his 1st raise. Just take it as a cooler moment as they sometimes happen in poker

Welcome to the forum though

Cheers mate. Am looking forward to learning how to improve as I'd love to make a coiuple of quid here and there playing. I need to be more agressive (I think) when playing and learn when and when not to bluff as I think I fold too easily.
I'm pleased that I don't seem to have messed up too bad with how I played my AK as I had a nagging doubt that him coming over the top of me should have made me fold and tried to recover with about 12k left

[waltypies]

Cheers mate. Am looking forward to learning how to improve as I'd love to make a coiuple of quid here and there playing. I need to be more agressive (I think) when playing and learn when and when not to bluff as I think I fold too easily.
I'm pleased that I don't seem to have messed up too bad with how I played my AK as I had a nagging doubt that him coming over the top of me should have made me fold and tried to recover with about 12k left

Nah with 12K left there is not much you can do on the final table apart from squeeze your bum cheeks and hope for a premium hand to hold up. The blinds at 1000/2000 means you only have 6 big blinds left so that only leaves you with one option! All in or fold.

Nice work though for only your 2nd live game. Like they say 3rd time lucky and you will take it down

[tfeilding]

As has been said above, I'd have shoved all-in. You know you are putting your chips in anyhow if he re-raises you so you may as well bung them all in and give yourself that small advantage.

Either way though, it is a cooler.

[Gareth]

Nah with 12K left there is not much you can do on the final table apart from squeeze your bum cheeks and hope for a premium hand to hold up. The blinds at 1000/2000 means you only have 6 big blinds left so that only leaves you with one option! All in or fold.

Nice work though for only your 2nd live game. Like they say 3rd time lucky and you will take it down

looking forward to my next live play - whenever that may be. life seems to get in the way of my live ambitions, the 'older ones' will know what I mean - kids, job, Mrs, etc etc!