Got into debate with guys in a tourney and an interesting question came up and i wasnt sure what i would prefer! Going all in with suited A-K or pocket pair?
I Guess it alll depends on how large the pair is but what would most ppl prefer?
Joined: Feb '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1886
First of all you cannot possibly lump all pocket pairs together. Even the difference between Qs and 9s is huge when it comes to going all in. Secondly my favourite hands to call all-in, re-raise all-in, see a flop and call with others still in the hand are all completely different.
People who call all in with 22 33 or 44 are simply idiots. Any two over cards has practically a 50/50 chance of winning. People just don't seem to realise this and think that a pair automatically puts them in front. Over playing small pairs is criminal as the very best you can hope for is a race.
Calling an all-in with a middle pair 7s to 9s can be equally stupid unless you have odds to call or you are committed. However seeing a multiway flop with 99 is arguably better than AA. If you hit the set with AA you're less likely to be called and if you don't hit you might have to fold to someone representing two pair.
Personally i think AK is under rated. It is a good hand to call all-in with. Better than 10 10 in fact and in my opinion on par with QQ. Against any pair of Qs or less AK is a straight race and you should therefore call with any small amount of chips committed. You could be dominating many hands capable of pushing, including hands which they would not call with. The only two hands that you in real danger from are KK and AA. And even against KK you have three outs.
I would say however that AK is difficult to play from early position if you play a flop. Unless you hit it is hard to know where you are. You could give someone with AQ who has also missed a chance to steal. That is why I think pairs are easier to play in early position.
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
@awood88 I agree AK is a great calling hand, much better than a low-mid pp. Simply because, as you say, most times you're at worst facing a race and quite often you are completely dominating a hand such as AQ/AJ
However, if it's a straight-up hypothetical, if you had to be allin vs 1 opponent with either a pp or AKs which would it be? then i hope your ans is pp. Because pp is the correct answer here.
It always makes me chuckle tho, in an MTT to see somebody call 2-3 other people already allin, with something like 66.
Joined: Feb '10
Location: Finland
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 1248
AK is unmade hand, PP is a made hand - thatswhy its most cases favourite also. Nothing to think here. Suited (3%) or not, AK is no good against pp in hu.
Joined: Oct '09
Location: Spain
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 2851
Posted by jessthehuman: @awood88 I agree AK is a great calling hand, much better than a low-mid pp. Simply because, as you say, most times you're at worst facing a race and quite often you are completely dominating a hand such as AQ/AJ
However, if it's a straight-up hypothetical, if you had to be allin vs 1 opponent with either a pp or AKs which would it be? then i hope your ans is pp. Because pp is the correct answer here.
It always makes me chuckle tho, in an MTT to see somebody call 2-3 other people already allin, with something like 66.
And the answer is........: Correct!
I think you´ve said it all here. I don´t get these people with their low pair all-ins in multiway pots either. Nuts! ..and the Nuts it isn´t....
I play some speed /turbo tourneys, and when the blinds are "astronomical" nearing the final table, I always throw all pairs under about 10/10 away because usually 3 people go all-in per hand holding all sorts of stuff. Even calling with a lower pair is a bad idea becuase the blinds take a HUGE part of your stack. And at 10 to 1 making trips, it just doesn´t happen enough. You just can´t win with those in those situations.
I will almost prefer mid pocket prs (8's or better) over A-K. I see at least once every time I play, someone pushing with A-K and losing their entire buy in or getting knocked out of a tourny. Low pocket pairs are too weak to push or call a push in most instances.
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
Pocket pair is the way to go against AK. In a recent live tourney, with six left at the table, I was massive chip leader with about 160,000, and had posted the 8000 BB. Shortstaker UTG goes all-in with 24,000 and everyone folds around to me. I peek at the cards and have 2-2. With 8000 already in the pot I called (2-2 is also my lucky hand!). The flop missed him, the turn card was a 2 and the river paired the board. Yabadabadoooooo! Ended up winning the whole thing. GL
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Philippines
Age: 51 (M)
Posts: 1011
Posted by SAMMYJR:
Got into debate with guys in a tourney and an interesting question came up and i wasnt sure what i would prefer! Going all in with suited A-K or pocket pair?
I Guess it alll depends on how large the pair is but what would most ppl prefer?
with AKs I will always go all in, but even AA could lose to a lower pocket pairs; i guess, it all depends on what your gut tells you.
