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Hello,

If I'm in 9 person SNG--$5.50 buy in--during the early stages, blinds are 10/20. I pick up AKs UTG, raise 3x, and only the button calls so that we're heads up on the flop. We both have equivalent stack sizes of around 1500 chips. The flop comes down: As 2h 8d. I c bet for about 1/2 a pot and the button shoves all in. What is the right move? Is it just to fold? Is it to get my money in praying that they don't have two pair or a set? I'd like to have some rules for this scenario. I do have top pair, good kicker, and I'd normally play it for a small pot, but I'm not being given that opportunity. Still, it is a good medium strength hand that might prevail against a fish pushing with AQ, KK, QQ, JJ. More often than not, I see two pair or worse.

start by what is the buyin, and then start thinking about ranges of hands that flat you pre and want to make such an aggressive move otf.

Sorry--I should have included the buy in amount. I updated my post. It was $5.50

what range do you think he does this with?

I'm really not sure. This happened to me early in the tournament. Hadn't seen the opponent play any hands.

I could take a swag and say that 40% of the time he's going to be a fish shoving with AJ, AQ, KK, QQ, JJ, 10-10 Or some type of a-x that doesn't make two pair.

60% of the time I'm probably looking at:
a-2, a-8, 8,8 2,2 or even 8-2.

without a read sometimes I would fold here

Forget about his range a moment and ask yourself if you are happy pushing 75BB with top pair. You only have 120 chips committed. What range does he put YOU on here's that raised preflop then bet into an A rainbow completely unconnected board? AK is definitely in your range, and he probably expects AK/AQ hands to not fold here most of the time. You are basically dead to sets and drawing to only 3 outs against Ax two pair hands. Given the fact you only beat AQ it's fine to fold. That's also such a dry board that you should consider checking the flop occasionally and underrepping your hand. If he doesn't have an A you are losing a lot of equity with such a strong hand on future streets when he just folds flop. I know people say to just cbet most of your range but this is a good spot to just check and see what his reaction is, exercise some pot control, and look to bet turn for sure if he checks behind.

Well this is very player dependable.Try and identify the opponents player type, and act accordingly.

Vs nit it`s an easy fold, sinse he`s only gonna do it with a set or A2/A8s.

Vs a total fish it can be an insta call if you have some prior dynamics with him and u know he`s prone to do it with any ace, or a Gs+BdFd for example.

But for the most part, i think folding here is the best play vs total uknowns, especially in the early stages.

At 5.50$ buy in level, i would expect the 80% (dunno if this level is reg infested or not, just my assumption) of the players to be very bad in the end game (push fold mode), and on the bubble, so it makes it even an easier decision.