Cash game Conundrum - AK pre, are we stacking?

What limit, what position, how many blinds, FR or SH?

Usually in the lowest stakes (NL5-NL10) I don't stack for 100 bbs too often with AK; I do it sometimes only on blind wars, but even there not too often, since there are not many players who are loose enough to 3bet-4bet as a bluff and usually your best odds are a flip vs a pocket pair.

It changes in higher limits though, I'd say nowadays its pretty standard to push preflop with AK in late position vs almost any opponent on NL50+ (I'm not familiar at all with NL25, haven't played that limit in years)

Hi chezonabike20,

Like Volrath89 reply there are a lot of factors to take in consideration in order to stack off with AK in a cash game.
Usually vs unknown SB vs BB, BB vs BTN, SBvs BTN, even BTN vs CO are the most common spots where you can stack off profitable at both table formats SH and FR.
Personal I didn't played NL5-NL10 for a long time and I'll go with Volrath89 suggestion to pay attention on the adversary first before you stack off, but at Nl25+ if is not zoom or any other speed poker format (in this type of games opponents tend to be very tight) the potions I mention above will be very profitable to stack off.

Yeh at the moment im at 5nl and gonna limit it until I have good reads on the oppo. due to them not wanting to 4but bluff ever, pretty much. Will watch out for the table getting looser when I eventually rise to the dizzying heights of 10nl! Thanks for the help!

Hi, chezonabike20,
Disclaimer: I am NOT a coach!
I agree, AK and even (or especially) AQ are tough because they're too strong to 4Bet/fold and WAY too strong to 3Bet/fold.

Stack depth is a big factor. 200 BB or more deep, you have a lot more room to play a big pot and exit gracefully post-flop if necessary.
Playing against anyone with less than a full stack it is even easier. Put him all in.

All the best,
VS

i can tell you even at 25NL facing a 3bet UTG (early positions) from the blinds or MP/CO vs most people AK is far from first pump

We are generally making money when they fold to a 4bet and not in great shape when we get shoved on. This means they have to have enough of a 3bet bluff range to start stacking AK

UTG i'm probably folding AQ vs these positions as most have too nitty 3bet ranges and starting to use AQs as a bluff bet OOP. Obviously need to widen ranges vs wider 3bet ranges

Yeh cheers for the help, Ive changed the way I play it and stopped stacking so much vs most untill I hit the more aggro stacks.