microstakes question about premium hands

what do you guys think about getting AK in pre on 2nl is it a good thing or a losing play in the long run i feel like i keep getting run into AA KK most of the time i am thinking of only getting it in only on the button and no where else what o you guys think

Unless you have a specific read or playing a maniac then at this level a 3bet then call in position.

if your raised then up to you how to play it but generally micro players dont show that much strength unless they have it

out of position im flatting against most players remember your playing an A and a K.....

At this level so many players over value this hand your mostly playing against fish they have no concept of hand strength just two cards that look pretty and they will call with anything.....why put your stack in pre when you can see a flop and evaluate where you are.

Also as you already alluded to your getting called by premium hands pre ..... slow down and use your position

why get into either a 50/50 or dominated race when you have a clearer picture on the flop .....take it from me it took a long time to stop overvaluing AK.

hope helps

You just need to consider what hands they are calling with. The way I see it the only hand you dominate is AQ.

You are a total dog against AA and KK, and then a coin flip vs QQ and JJ. If they even call with jacks that is.

If you are tempted to open shove AK pre flop, I imagine because its either because you dont like folding it post flop, not being sure how to proceed with the hand if you dont make a pair or just generally because your post flop game is not strong enough or you cannot hand read so dont have a clue where you are post flop.

So rather than just open shoving and hoping for the best, you need to improve your game.

I 4bet or 5 bet shove with AK all the time in the micros....tons of players show up with worse...i run into AJo and A10 more than i run into AA or KK and remember...the AK blocks certain AA and KK combos...i beleive it reduces the likelyhood of your opponent having either by 25%.

Anyways, AK is still widely considered the 3rd best starting hand in holdem...even if you are flipping against QQ or JJ, their eauity is pretty much on par with 88 or better...that being said its still only a 60/40 spot for them...so even if you are behind 40% of the time you will catch them.

I like the point made about over valuing AK, makes enough sense and there is no need to be 3betting all in with 100+ bb's. Lots of things you can do with AK, just have to play it along with your style and though you dont want to over value it...you certainly dont want to undervalue such a good hand and lose your equity.

Good luck, hope this helps

AG04CAS said:

Unless you have a specific read or playing a maniac then at this level a 3bet then call in position.

if your raised then up to you how to play it but generally micro players dont show that much strength unless they have it

out of position im flatting against most players remember your playing an A and a K.....

At this level so many players over value this hand your mostly playing against fish they have no concept of hand strength just two cards that look pretty and they will call with anything.....why put your stack in pre when you can see a flop and evaluate where you are.

Also as you already alluded to your getting called by premium hands pre ..... slow down and use your position

why get into either a 50/50 or dominated race when you have a clearer picture on the flop .....take it from me it took a long time to stop overvaluing AK.

hope helps

Click to expand...

OMG so true..Just busted out a 4 hour game, by called a 4 bet all in with AKs lost against 22. its a gamble

Coin toss

AK especially suited is a coin toss even against pokcet 2's and almsot every poker player knows this. My point is, shoving with AK pre you have to understand your opponent's range of hands that would or could shove with. As an aggressor with AK shoving i feel like I would rather raise maybe 3x BB and play from there. Ultimately as a call with AK suited you do have outs, but your opponent is probably the current favorite to win the hand unless they are hyper aggro or bluffing. Pay attention to your opponents hands they are shoving with.. sometimes it will surprise you!
I hope that you find this helpful,
sincerely, Infenergy.:icon_thum

I'd been playing cards for a long time. What I enjoy more, however, is bgaming casinos. They are really fun and nothing else in the gambling world.

georgeramsey said:

I'd been playing cards for a long time. What I enjoy more, however, is bgaming casinos. They are really fun and nothing else in the gambling world.

Click to expand...

lol sick thread to advertie

I avoid going allin on cashgames with AK unless I have the villain reading or if I'm short and not risking too many chips.

I prefer to analyze the flop and follow the board to make the best decisions, usually I will raise with AK and fold to an allin, and depending on the value of the bet I will just pay.

If it is the first hand he has played in 2 hours than you can make a case for folding. What is the pot size, what do you have to call? Is it a plus EV situation? To many factors to say for sure exactly what to do for ALL times. It is totally situational.

You're running into those hands because those are the only hands willing to call your large raise. Play the hand for what it is a drawing hand with showdown value. It's ok to fold this hand pre if the player is a NIT. Just slow down AK isn't the winning hand 2 out of 3 times.

Don't shove with AK unless you're up against a short stack. The only call you get is from JJ-AA, probably TT.

But if(!) you are good postflop and have more skills than villains, why would you gamble. AK is always 3bet/call 4bet, but never push pre in cash games.


Second: I see a lot of people shoving AKs on the flop against a raise.
So they have AKs, flop is a low card flush draw, villain raises the cbet and they shove and hope for either an A, a K or their flush.

Again, don't do it. A and K are ghost outs, since they probably raise with 2pair or a set. So even if you get your TPTK, you're most likely dead anyways. And who shoves on a flush draw, when villain does call 90%?


AK, might be the 3rd best starting hand, but it's only that....a starting hand. In low limit they overestimate AK by a mile and treat the hand like it was Aces.

789 double suited flop? Cbet 2/3pot cause AK.
4A9 rainbow and villain raises cbet? I shove cause AK...fk villain and his set.
Q357K and it was checked to river but now villain raises my potsize bet? I shove cause AK.

I see this all the time. I don't know why. Probably cause people in the micros can't play poker ^^

AKo is not even a top 10 hand. All the pairs out value AK.

Play the AK, but getting over aggressive with it is gambling. Open for a raise with AK, but don't always 3 bet it. Position and opponent must thoroughly analyzed to determine whether to call or raise. I would very rarely 4 bet preflop but to each there own. I'm ignoring the stakes a little bit with that advice. Just shoving like crazy with AK vs a bunch of donks might work out.

Jon Poker said:

I 4bet or 5 bet shove with AK all the time in the micros....tons of players show up with worse...i run into AJo and A10 more than i run into AA or KK and remember...the AK blocks certain AA and KK combos...i beleive it reduces the likelyhood of your opponent having either by 25%.

Good luck, hope this helps

Click to expand...

correct my math if it's wrong, but the odds of getting AA or KK should be 8/52 times 3/51 right? and if i a holding AK the odds of someone having AA or KK against me should be 6/50 times 2/49. round that out to 24/2500 versus 12/2500 and the liklihood should be reduced by half.

but then you have to factor in murphy's law and the 90/10 principle where if i have a 50/50 shot at something there's 90/10 chance i'm screwed.

AK

With AK, mainly in turbo games, I give tribet and case the opponent of all in dou call. Turbo this hand is almost impossible to drop. If it is deep all in only in tournament final lines, initial and middle parts always see the flop

In micros doesn't matter much. Mix it up. Esp in the Zoom games AK I generally don't shove pre.

Its completely fine, whenever you see someone regurarly just make sure you take a note on what they are GII preflop.

Unless its a super nit its very okay to GII with AK