An Ace , King Isn't Always As Good As It Looks On T.V.

[Kramer]

One of the most difficult hands to play in Texas Hold‘Em is AK. While a strong hand, it requires the consideration of many more factors than pocket pairs or other strong hands. How you play AK at a table with five players in strong position is completely different than how you should play the hand from a weak position with ten players. Whether you are at a sit and go tournament or a large scale tournament, all these factors make a huge difference in how you play this hand. Too often players play this hand strong when they shouldn’t, or soft when they should be betting and raising. This article will help teach you to know the difference.

Avoid going all in pre-flop
The first thing to know about AK is some of the odds with AK heads up. AK against almost any pocket pair is a slight underdog. This means that going all in with AK pre-flop is not a smart move, because slightly half the time you will get beat. And that’s assuming only one player is calling you, as opposed to two or three which dramatically increases the chances of a flush, straight, or trips being hit against you even if you do make a high pair.

Odds of playing AK
AK can be a strong hand—but its strength or weakness is heavily dependent on the game you are playing, the players, your position, and your situation. The difference between solid winnings and huge losses is often contained in how the player plays that one hand. First of all, look at these sample odds (all odds are in heads up situations):

AK unsuited vs. TT = 42.7%
AK unsuited vs. 76 suited = 57.7%
AK suited vs. 66 = 47.9%
AK suited vs. QJ suited = 60.0%

Notice how the only hand that is even relatively dominated is QJ suited, and even that is somewhat tenuous. The AK is a dog to even a low pocket pair, and it is barely stronger than two suited middle cards. For many beginner Hold ‘Em players this is a huge wake up call. So what is the big deal with AK? Well it does dominate a lot of other strong hands players will bet heavy with, primarily AQ, AJ, AT, KQ, KJ, especially when those hands are unsuited. AK is a 3 to 1 (75%) favorite over AQ before the flop.

AK is a tricky hand that needs to hit the flop
What this means is that while AK is a strong starting hand, it is not dominant until something hits on the flop. AK is also a hand that needs to be played with strong thought at every stage of the game. Pre-flop AK is at its best from a strong position, but the strategy should be the same: you want to raise a respectable amount.
In no-limit Hold ‘Em this would be about three times the big blind, because you want everyone to think you have a strong hand, so weaker middle hands or chasers will be scared off, and if you do hit the best hand, you want more chips in the pot.

Bet strong if you hit the flop
If the flop has either an ace or a king, or both, bet and raise. You have hit your hand, and do not want to give odds to draw to any gut shot straight draws or flush draws. How your opponents react may also give you some insight into what they are holding. Maybe someone has a weak ace like A6, in which case they are likely to call, or raise you the exact amount you bet. Someone might have Q-K with the king hitting versus your king, leading the person to think he has the best hand and getting him into serious trouble. If there isn’t an obvious straight or flush, keep pushing the pot.

Playing a scary flop
Suppose the flop is scary? What should you do if you hit the ace or king, but all three cards are spades and you don’t have any? In this situation make one strong bet, and if everyone calls or if someone raises heavily and others call, just throw it away. You would be surprised how often that early raise will take down the pot, because if no one has the flush or someone else has the high card, but thinks you have the flush, then many times you can take down the pot. If someone comes after you, throw it away and wait for a better day.

Continuous betting a missed flop
Suppose you raise pre-flop and the board is something like 9-7-2 unsuited. In this case if you are in early position, you should make a continuous bet. Why? Because if you raised pre-flop and several people only called, there is a good chance you’re facing KQ, AJ or other similar hands that also missed the flop completely. You may be able to take down the hand completely, because now they have to wonder about the nine, and wonder about a strong pocket pair. Most often everyone will fold. If you get a tentative call, bet on the next card as well no matter what it is. If the turn card is scary and the other player raises hard, give it up. Otherwise the pot is yours.

Don't be an idiot and chase with AK
Where many players get into trouble is chasing AK to the river when another person is betting. If you miss the flop completely and other players are betting and calling, don’t be an idiot. AK is a great starting hand, but if you miss the flop your odds drop through the floor. Many times when AK misses the flop, that hand actually becomes unwinnable, or needs runner-runner for any hope. If you miss and others are raising, throw it away and wait for a better situation. The strong pre-flop hands aren’t strong anymore after a missed flop. The chips you don’t lose are just as good as the ones you win

[david5021]

I agree with most of what you said in your post, the one thing i feel you forgot to mention is the advantage of having AK over hands such as AQ,AJ,A10,KQ,KJ and so on. You will find (especially online) in tournments after a player loses a good size pot and they pick up a marginal hand such as the ones i mentioned, more times than not there chips are going into the pot with a frustartion bet. I know how you said never to play AK all in pre-flop but personally the is the only way i usally play it, if there is a raise in-front, depending on my position of course, i will normally make a rather large raise i gauge where i am, if i get just a call more than not i feel at worst i am 50/50 and ill take that anyday with my ability to read the others players, casue remeber after all poker is playing the players not your cards. On the other hand after my big raise if i get re-raised all-in i guess it is then a decision you have to make, figure out what stage of the tourney you are in, whom is raising you and what has he been raising will all night and so on, i guess basically playing AK is not differen than really playing any other two cards, you just have to feel out where you are in the hand and make the best decision possbile at that specific time.

[Kramer]

I repsect your opinion but if you always usually play all in ,
consider an A,K is a dog to a 2,2 pre flop .

If you're in a tourney with $5,000 chips,
someone else has $2,500 ,
then you're now playing to protect your chip lead as you'll lose the A,K
52% to another pair 1 vs 1

You're risking losing half your chips to someone else doubling up
with a 50/50 hand.
The odds don't justify ALWAYS
going all in ...

[Shark23]

The Anna Kournikova, looks mighty good, but never wins..........

[YPA]

I call it the "Craig Barrett" because of the 1998 Commonwealth Games.


First you get the Flop - Barrett crumpling into the gutter.

Then you get the Turn - Barrett writhing in agony.

Then you get the River - Barrett wetting himself.


As Kramer's original post alludes to, this is never a good thing