What to do with King Ace

#1 9th October 2008, 5:50 AM

Any tips on playing pocket king ace. Ive read lots of conflicting advice on what to do with this situation, and got to the point of playing them pretty cautiously now.

#2 9th October 2008, 6:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbinator

Any tips on playing pocket king ace. Ive read lots of conflicting advice on what to do with this situation, and got to the point of playing them pretty cautiously now.

This article helped me out alot when I had questions about AK Big Slick

#3 9th October 2008, 9:17 PM

Cheers buddy

Just had a read, i have tried what he says. I suppose the trick is to know when to back off and not get caught out and lose to a pair.

#4 9th October 2008, 9:25 PM

I find playing AK is almost as hard as playing AA. Some say both are all in cards but I've seen people lose with both more times than I can remember,including myself.

#5 9th October 2008, 9:46 PM

Also see here and here:

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliengenius

I posted these thoughts in another thread, but I think they are worth repeating here:

The advantages of AK are mostly in it's preflop value:

1. Fold equity. This is the biggest advantage of AK. For me it is almost alway a REraising hand preflop. For you to take advantage of this, you MUST play it aggressively (your opponent must fold). Small pairs can't really call you for fear that you have a bigger pair when you play it aggressively. If you do get called, even by something like QQ, you are still only a slight dog.

2. Pre-flop dominating hand. This is mostly applicable against donks who will call you with Ax soooooded. Inversely, you are only really dominated vs AA or KK (and you have about 30% vs KK).

3. Post flop your top pair always has top kicker when you hit.

Obviously when your opponent goes all in he has neutralized AK's biggest advantage as he can no longer fold. Against two random cards that don't include either and ace or a king you are not that big of a favorite with five to come, as other posters pointed out. But you don't ever really want to be calling an all in with very many hands (AA and KK excepted)-- YOU want to be the one doing the raising or pushing.

Just to look at it another way, let's compare AK to a small pair, say 55.

AK is a dominating hand. IF your raise is called you are (most likely) either:

1. way ahead (vs. a weaker ace)
OR
2. in a 50/50ish race.

With 55 you are (most likely) either:

1. way behind (vs. a bigger pair)
OR
2. in a 50/50ish race.

See the difference?

#6 10th October 2008, 12:15 AM

its a great hand to play, usually raising with it, and i think its easy to get away from. guess it just depends on what you gut is telling you about the other players, do you need to hit to take it or can you bluff them out

#7 10th October 2008, 1:20 AM

i also think some of the problems i have playing it also come from the people i play against. I play with one crwod every month and quite a few of them bet on anything and chase the river card.

All comes down to reading the players and experience i suppose.

#8 10th October 2008, 1:35 AM

I personally like to slow play the hand with the exception of my position late position with lots of callers you better believe its going to cost you depending on my stack any where from three times the big blind to all in. Alot plays in to that decision but in early posisiton all almost always slow play it hoping to hit big on the flop i love looking down at this hand in the blinds as any poker player would. Those are my two cents gl at the tables all.

#9 10th October 2008, 2:37 AM

This hand is a chip magnet. I do beleive most players over play it. Post flop can get you is a world of hurt, quickly. I think it is well worth the call and with may people in the pot, look out, you could in for all your chips in a situation you don't realy want.

It is a very difficult hand to play by just calling. Giver and hope for the best.

#10 10th October 2008, 3:22 AM

always raise preflop. I've seen that too many times that AK get cracked when someone tries to slow play them.

#11 10th October 2008, 9:21 AM

For me................it all depends on my chip size, sometimes position, and the feel of the table. Even though it is online poker and you cannot see you opponents, over time you develop a "FEEL" for them like you are next to them looking into their eyes and reaching into their hands to tell what they "possibly" may be holding can give you a clue to what they may have. I have been playing for years online and this comes natural to me.

#12 10th October 2008, 6:27 PM

I would prefer to have Ace King over AA there are many more outs then AA and I have found that AA loses about 45% of the time with AK you just have to taKE IT EASY AND DONT GO ALL IN WITH IT PREFLOP.

#13 10th October 2008, 6:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicagopro

I would prefer to have Ace King over AA there are many more outs then AA and I have found that AA loses about 45% of the time with AK you just have to taKE IT EASY AND DONT GO ALL IN WITH IT PREFLOP.

post of the year...

#14 10th October 2008, 7:09 PM

AK has such strong preflop equity that its almost never bad to get it all in preflop (if you're the one pushing all in) When you consider the fold equity you have and the range of hands your opponent has you are a favorite after all considerations. There was a video and long thread on CR about it.

#15 10th October 2008, 8:23 PM

I TRY not to get to reckless with this hand offsuit...ill raise 3X BB off suit and 4X bb if suited...then the flop is where you have to be smart...so many players will call a bet or even bet the flop themselves if you dont hit. you miss, get out without a huge loss....however if you are shortstacked(below 8 big blinds) you obviously have to shove all in

#16 10th October 2008, 8:50 PM

IF I play this hand which is my nemesis, I usually only play from first position with all in, or limp it to the flop and if I dont catch anything then I immediately fold it.
But it is always worth seeing a flop if one can do it for cheap.

#17 10th October 2008, 9:49 PM

I never ever slow play that AA lol.. pre flop raise.. and raise not min. because when I raise min somebody will call with some crapy hand and suck ot on me...

#18 10th October 2008, 10:38 PM

AK is such a tricky hand to play, iam not a big fan of this hand early in tournaments. I find this hand has so much value in the later stages of tourneys because alot of people will call your all-ins or large bets with hands like AJ and AQ, where as when it is earlier on you have to worry about people with like small pockets pairs and stuff.

#19 11th October 2008, 12:22 AM

commit most of your stack to ak, then on the flop when nothing hits.....get scared and fold.........OR ................raise well in late position and try to push all the possible suckouts out then play it with confidence but with moderation as well............

#20 11th October 2008, 12:30 AM

Ace King (suited or offsuit/all red or all black) is...

FOLD!!!

#21 11th October 2008, 7:02 PM

what is the correct way 2 play AA or is there such a way????????

#22 11th October 2008, 7:33 PM

Ace king is a drawing hand no matter how you want to look at them...so when your trying to make a decision on how to play them, just think about how much your wanting to gamble.

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