When are good times to go all in???

[Idaho]

AK is a funny old hand. I have pretty much fixed my policy on pre-flop play with it having been burnt a number of times.

When I raise all-in with AK I don't want a call. I want them to fold but with a decent escape hatch should they call. I only raise all-in with AK to steal blinds or put pressure on a short stack. The idea being that if shorty calls he can only get some of my chips.

Calling an all-in with AK is usually a bad move. The only exception to this is when it is one other person and his stack is much less than yours. Calling for all of your chips when there are already two calls before you is suicide, especially if you are in middle position. They are bound to have at the least an ace (cutting down your chances of beating the pocket pair which someone is bound to have with that much action). In fact it is very likely you are up against either KK or AA as well.