Playing AK

Hi everybody,

OK, I am new and learning, mostly from poker books. They all say to play AK, and usually raise, depending on other stuff. But here is the big question that they don't tell about.

Lets say that you bet 3X the big blind and everybody calls. Then the flop is whatever...what do you do next?

I know there would be lots of factors, but how about just in general?

Like, fold to any bet? Try a bluff in late position? Etc,

Thanks,

Carthalion

PS. What does post a poll mean?

You should always try to take the pot down after the flop by a continuation bet ( betting regardless of what flops). If someone bets out in front of you can raise or call, raising is the best bet. I have played Ace King at the casinos in cash games and lost small pots, its a matter of instinct ,am I beat ,can I raise and take the pot away. There is no shame in folding if you know your beat. Remember always raise with A K and keep the pressure on, if someone continually plays back at you you know they have a hand unless of course they are just a big donkey.
blaine213

Well.. If the flop doesn't give me anything, I'd likely just put a low bet to make it seem like I had pocket pairs of something.. If the turn still isn't getting any luck, and other players wont let you check, I'd fold... That's just me though, I don't claim to be very experienced.

Just my two cents, but, this hand is a chip magnet. A drawing hand at best. Go crazy and you will most likely get burned. Great hand if played right, a disaster if played wrong.

Still like to get it though.

they are absolutly right a veryy good hand when played correctly but an awful hand when played wrong :S

Definitely depends on the situation. Go with your gut. Isn't that what makes us the player we are?

I would try to bet or raise, but not so much as it looks like you are just trying to buy the pot. If there are alot of callers you have to be extra careful because if you didn't hit someone else probably did then they would be more likely to stay around and have a better chance of improving their hand, which would not be good for the AK if they can't really improve their hand substancially on the next card. Folding that hand and keeping chips for a better opporunity is what I usually do.

i like too raise ak preflop all the time, unless u got someone that loves too raise and raise and raise alot, then u might want too limp call, i dont think if u have ak and hit nothin on the flop u should always bet, sometimes you should but just think of someone out there that hit top pair, mid pair, flush draw, straight draw, and they will obviously call, which in turn will sketch you out and might not be too easy too bet on a turn.

lots of "interesting" replies. I don't think its a drawing hand, its how you play it after the flop that matters, same as any cards, and most importantly depends on your position, lower cards and checked around, usually you can take it right there...or be like dj and always go all in with it

All in preflop!!!!!!!! Jk, theres soo many ways to play hands, Id say you have to learn how to play em through experience and keep reading them books.

I really think it depends on how many people are in after the flop. Anything below 4 callers, is an insta cbet, but I would be fine with just checking with 5 people in, including me.

Well I am trying to be more cautious with my game and the hands that I decide to play, especially when the hands involve putting all my chips in. I think it is almost like the limping or calling rule. People think that you should not limp or that you should not just call with particular hands. But what you should and/or should not do, solely depends on the action of the table or game. A lot of variables that must me evaluated before making such a decision or note.

AK is obviously a premium hand, only dominated by 2 hands and when you have AK, it's unlikely someone else has AA or KK. It's obviously a drawing hand as well, so you shouldn't normally go all in preflop with it (in a cash game) imo. I forget who posted it, but there was a thread on this site about AK and someone said it's actually one of the best REraising hands in Hold'em. If someone raises to 3-4x the BB before you act, you can reraise if you're behind them and hope to take the pot down right there. Worst case scenario (unless you're dominated) you're in a race going to the flop, best case you have their AQ/AJ/KQ dominated, and if an A/K comes on the flop, you could be taking down a big pot. If you face another raise preflop after you've already reraised then they probably have AA/KK and you get away for relatively cheap.

Obviously depends but usually I like either folding, checking, calling, or raising with AK in this spot.

Did you really say that? Go with your gut?

If you're really interested, do a search and check the archives. This hand has been discussed ad infinitum and there's lots of valuable advice. Look for Aliengenius's excellent post on AK.

If it was me and i had just made that raise and every person at the table called i would

A Fold to any bet
B leave the table and find another your not in a poker game you are in a stable full of donkeys

Learning how to play this hand is key to some degree. You have to know how and when to fold it too.AK is a great hand to play but most players don't like to let it go when they know they are beat. Like what was said before you should be out at the pot hoping noone hit anything and if you are raised than you should let it go. If it is a donkey who raised you, just be patient with them, you will get their money eventually.Good luck.

AK is a worse starting hand than 22. That being said , it is a great drawing hand. However don't fall in love with it. If the flop misses you FOLD THE HAND.

lol what? I'll make you a bet. We both sit at the same table. You get dealt 22 every hand and I get dealt AK every hand. We'll see who winds up with the most profits. You complain that like 50% of the time AK misses the flop? Well over 85% of the time 22 flops 3 overs.

Seriously, if my previous sarcasm attempt didn't say anything basically this is a pointless discussion because it ignores all the little variables in poker. If you want to talk about a certain board texture and opponents and such it would be more useful, but to say blanket "how do you play AK", as shown by this thread, isn't going to actually invoke much good discussion.

Depending on the stages of the tournament, I often just call AK early in the tournament. Then 50/50 in the middle stages, 50 call 50 raise depending on the feel of the table. Late stages, I will always raise 4x the blind. Going back to early and middle stages of the tournament, if there are 2 or more limpers in front of me I would always at least 3x to move people out of the way. Every time I raise with AK, I will always follow through with a bet to test the water.

Great hand to play, but do it with caution if you hit nothing on the flop. If you hit nothing, make a reasonable bet to check if anyone else hit anything.

as somebody mentioned, AK is better preflop than postflop. preflop in position, it gives u strength in re-raising and has a high chance of takin down the pot. oop, i'll usually flatcall if im first to act, then when a late position raises, i'll reraise.

if u get callers tho, proceed carefully. an A on the flop does not equate to u having the nuts. still, u gotta bet it tho.

thats the beauty of poker aint it. 10001 variations.

Well if you raise 3x BB and get few calls and hit nothing, then your hand is worthless. No need to make a crying bet to try to bluff lots of players. If you playing against 2 playesr you might take a stab, but in most cases weak players will overplay AK and won't fold it even if they hit nothing. Face it, AK are pretty high cards, but they are just that.. High cards. So don't get to fancy if you miss the flop.

I agree absolutely worthless. This hand gets me in trouble more times than I would like to admit. A simple drawing hand at best, and, one that is overplayed far to often.

always fire out a continuation bet after raising preflop most times poeple will muk .even if your a has not hit the flop...if u take the pot down good...if your called or even rareaised u can easily throw your ak away

If you're the raiser you need to continuation bet most of the time. Unless your playing agains Mr Aces and Kings (a rock). If you reraised and got called play very carefully, you only have ace high. Most of the time if i get played with i'd dump it, its not worth it and you get 2 new cards the very next hand.

I can only assume this is a free game, not real money ??? 3x THE BIG BLIND and everybody calls ??? Continuation bet just suicide against 9 other players.Or am I missing something here ???

Happened again. AK off, I call a small raise to see the cheap flop. Flop K, rag, rag all off. I push and the guy calls with the bullets. Go figure, and I will never learn! I used to think it was kinda funny. Not today.

If by "player we are" you mean an ATM for the others at the table, then by all means go with your gut.

If y'all have questions about playing a hand like AK, AA, JJ, whatever, you can use the search function at the top of the page to find previous posts that will direct you to all kinds of advice: in-depth advice about playing those cards with regard to position, chip stacks, your opponents, etc.; things that in time all poker players learn (and continue to learn) that help in their decision making for every hand that they play!

That will get you a lot farther than going with your gut does, I promise!!!

IMO its a lot safer if you hit your king on the flop. People will play ace anything pre flop and aces up can wipe you out.

Nothing on the flop I make a continuation bet, if I get called by 1 I bet again on the turn if it did not appear to improve any draws from the flop.

That's exactly what I was thinking...everybody calls. Normally, Raise with AK preflop and c-bet postflop no matter what... when you're against 1-2 players. But if Everyone called, screw it unless you connect. If you raised pre, 3-4xbb and everyone calls, it's play money, or the biggest bunch-o-jackasses ever.

may be continuation bet is too costly some time,especially when in tournament you are short stack.so just fold if you hit nothing.
and if you have AK suited,just all in preflop.

There are two schools of thinking on it. One schools says play AK like it's AA, with a big bet preflop and a bigger continuation bet unless the flop comes something wierd like three of a suit or three to a straight. This way, you might fold everyone and win the pot anyway. Even if you lose, you get callers on your AA continuation bet next time.

Me, I'm a Cloutier disciple. Cloutier thinks the most important thing about AK is knowing when to fold it, preflop or postflop.

I love AK but pre-flop if u face a raise a call and another call uve gotta think is AK strong at this time? Ive folded AK when a multiway pot was on way only to realise ppl were playin AQ, KQ, AT so fat chance of hittin my premium hand. But if there isnt many ppl to play against allways raise with AK n allways make a c/bet on the flop. Plus u have to over cards if the flop brings now to crush ur opp on the turn or river =)
Only go all-in with AK against a LAG person too lol. manytimes u push with AK to find ur f'd by JJ or QQ.