Sometimes AK is enough at showdown

Tulalip $1/$3

HERO: UTG+1, $600. I'm in for $300, so I'm not too far up. Passive table - mostly loose preflop, tight/passive postflop. Perfect environment for me; I love it!
VILLAIN: UTG, $200. Literally first hand at the table; why he decided to come in UTG is beyond me (Tulalip allows you to come in behind the button and not have to post). I've played him a number of times; he likes to create an early, aggressive, run-over-the-table image.


UTG Raises to $15.
HERO looks down at AKo. This could a re-raising, but in this early of a position I'd rather just call and see a flop. Everyone else folds.

POT: $33
FLOP: 828r

UTG Bets $25.
HERO calls.

If he's got a pocket pair I've still (more likely than not) got overs. Granted this is often more of a limit poker play, but I'm OK with taking one off here to see a turn. He looked very uncomfortable when I called. Doesn't look like he has anything.


POT: $88
TURN: [828] T

UTG Bets $75.
HERO calls.

He got a very, very determined look on his face after the turn card came off. If I could have read his mind I believe I would have read "If this guy has something I need to keep showing strength so he'll go away." Still doesn't look like he has anything.


POT: $238
RIVER: [828T] 5

UTG looks kind of disgusted, says "Check." I consider the fact that we may have the same hand, and a bet here could move him off of it. Instead, I decide to check behind. Why? Sometimes AK, on a rag board with an aggressor who obviously missed everything, is good enough to show down. With the size of the pot, if he really did have any pair he'd likely call anyway.

I decide to take the safer route in case my read was way off and save a hundred bucks. I also considered betting so I didn't have to show my hand, but I liked what it might do to my already loose/crazy image that I'd call this guy down with nothing but the nut-no-pair. I was prepared to call his bet here, too, even if he went all-in: I was fairly certain that we were at least holding the same hand.

I turn over AK; UTG turns over AQ and throws it into the muck, and shakes his hand as the pot comes my way.