After playing poker for 8 years now I still run into the same problems.... AK IS NOT A PAIR.... When someone has AK it is very obvious. When making a play on a player with AK why is it that you get called 90% of the time and of course you get burnt on the turn???? Can someone please fill me in on how to play and hand vs. AK?
Joined: Jun '09
Location: United States
Age: 38 (M)
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Ak has a 80% chance of winning pre flop. unless you are going in with AA....Why Would You Call??(if,as you say, You know the have AK)... even with AA if the flop is 10-j-q....u lose. i have won more hands with AK suited than AA....could just be variation...but for the most part..AK is a monster
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Portugal
Age: 42 (M)
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Yes, AK is a powerfull hand. If it is that obvious that your opponent has it, then your opponent has a huge leak on his game, he shouldn't be that predictable, and believe, he isn't, even if he is a fish. But if you are sure he has AK you can't complain, bet when you're ahead, run away when you're behind. Pure and Simple.
Nice to see someone complaining about the turn. Bad river trash talk was getting boring. Welcome bad turn trash talk.
I really like Ace King Suited or Off-suited because i think it is a monster. i would like to go all in preflop with ace king in cashgame. In tournament i usually raise with them but sometimes i limp. Usually when i go allin with them in cashgame preflop i win.
Posted by mazzetti: Ak has a 80% chance of winning pre flop. unless you are going in with AA....Why Would You Call??(if,as you say, You know the have AK)... even with AA if the flop is 10-j-q....u lose. i have won more hands with AK suited than AA....could just be variation...but for the most part..AK is a monster
Dude, only AA has +80% against any two cards preflop.
You didn't tell us what limits you play at but I will assume which one it is. At the lower limits alot of people don't fold Ax no matter what the flop brings. I have flopped a straight, two pair, trips, etc and watched people call my raises (sometimes even get reraised) with Ax. They won't even pair the A or even the other card (x) and still show down at the end. So if they have AK they play them like made hands and most of the time won't fold no matter how much you raise. Sometimes I'll chat in the box and ask them why they didn't fold, it's more than obvious I have a flush and they don't even have a card in that suite. 99% of the time they don't answer. How to play to beat them, trips, sets, two pair, etc. you won't win by the kicker so look at what you can draw at to beat them. Going all in pf with AK, I wouldn't unless I am playing SSS and certain criteria has been met. Only hands I would go all in pf with are AA/KK.
Joined: Feb '09
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Posted by mazzetti: Ak has a ----> 80% <---- chance of winning pre flop. unless you are going in with AA....Why Would You Call??(if,as you say, You know the have AK)... even with AA if the flop is 10-j-q....u lose. i have won more hands with AK suited than AA....could just be variation...but for the most part..AK is a monster
Joined: Feb '08
Location: Belgium
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AK is a strong hand indeed but it's just not a pair and surely not a winning hand !!! as about the 80 % change of winning !!! think you need to go back to school for some mathematics !!!
very often noobs play to the end with AK, and I get the chips with my simple JJ. I like AK to be with my oponent, because you know when to fold and when to call
Joined: Aug '09
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 34 (M)
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AK is a monster hand, preflop as well as post flop. I prefer to get some money in the pot before the flop then play the flop with it when you dominate most hands but is easier to get away from in situations than a high pair.
Joined: Nov '08
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Posted by Qkoshiba81: very often noobs play to the end with AK, and I get the chips with my simple JJ. I like AK to be with my oponent, because you know when to fold and when to call
I agree
But i find AK is a drawing hand... yes it has power pre flop but once the flop comes and you miss you need to re-evaluate your hand. If all you have is a draw or two over cards the fact thats its AK is erelivant even if you hit the A or K, top pair even with a good kicker in a multi way pot after you bet and get called or raised should be an easy fold especialy with a few callers. It takes something to lay it down sometimes but if you want to win / make money its the right thing to do.
Joined: Aug '09
Location: United States
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If I had a dollar for every time I had to lay down A-K pre-flop... I'd probably still have a dollar for all the tmes that I didn't. That's one oxymoron about poker and NL hold'em that intrigues me. I know that mathematically AA's is the best hand you can have pre-flop. The best hand you can make in poker requires only 1 ace. I play it according to my position and the flow of the table. I think it also matters if you are in a tourney or a ring-game as well, and what iH8suckouts said about playing at lower limits. I've had players chew me out because they shove w/A-K, pre-flop and I call w/pkt 5's and win the race. It was so obvious... and any pkt-pr is a better starting hand than A-K, in my opinion.
Joined: May '09
Location: India
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i think many players overplay AK, Ak is not a made hand its just a drawing hand. it might be a monster in late stages of tourney but don't ever overestimate your AK in cash games. if you don't hit a/k at flop its better to check/fold then to donkchase till river. u might win sometimes but in long term you'll be a loser
Joined: May '09
Location: Brazil
Age: 34 (M)
Posts: 19
I really like Ace King Suited or Off-suited because i think it is a monster. but I dont play them as a nuts when it is not one becareful about the board and players around you, because AK can make a lot of money if you play it properly.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Ireland
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It's not a monster unless it hits , big. on a flop of AJ2 - AJ, A2, 22, JJ, and of course AA kick it's arse soundly. Even on a weak flop like 359 rainbox any matching set has you nailed, as does any other pair. Go ahead depending on the turn + river, it'll only save you some of the time on AK.
It#'s nothing but A high before it hits, and even then it can be shakey. Too many don... players ... rate it as a killer hand.
------------ As if Karma needed to bite me on the arse any more than it usually does ... i just lost my last $3 from the NDB $10 on BBP - on, yup, AK ... I hit 2 pair, but ofc some bint had 55 and hit their set ... sigh. useless hand.
Joined: Aug '09
Location: United States
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Posted by Jewcifer: If I had a dollar for every time I had to lay down A-K pre-flop... I'd probably still have a dollar for all the tmes that I didn't. That's one oxymoron about poker and NL hold'em that intrigues me. I know that mathematically AA's is the best hand you can have pre-flop. The best hand you can make in poker requires only 1 ace. I play it according to my position and the flow of the table. I think it also matters if you are in a tourney or a ring-game as well, and what iH8suckouts said about playing at lower limits. I've had players chew me out because they shove w/A-K, pre-flop and I call w/pkt 5's and win the race. It was so obvious... and any pkt-pr is a better starting hand than A-K, in my opinion.
Joined: Sep '09
Location: France
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I think AK is not a monster at all! In heads up, against a pair of 2, the pair of 2 wins about 60% of the time. So if you got a pair and you sure you are against AK, u should go all-in, you will be winning on the long run. Learn 2 play
That's one oxymoron about 
