A5 pre-flop

Antonio Esfandiari among others I've heard have stated that A5 is the new AK when played pre-flop against one player. Do you agree?

My odds calculator, indeed, has A5 ahead pre-flop against one other player, but quickly is behind when you add another player to the mix. There's not much difference if suited or not.

The questions are how and when do you/have you played A5? Have you shoved/would you shove from UTG when less than xBBs ? Would you re-raise to isolate?

As I think about it, I might. It's ahead against suited connectors by 14% against KQs, but still a 2:1 dog against all pocket pairs except AA, where of course, it's a big dog.

For me, my answer depends ... yada yada...

edcwy said:

Antonio Esfandiari among others I've heard have stated that A5 is the new AK when played pre-flop against one player. Do you agree?

My odds calculator, indeed, has A5 ahead pre-flop against one other player, but quickly is behind when you add another player to the mix. There's not much difference if suited or not.

The questions are how and when do you/have you played A5? Have you shoved/would you shove from UTG when less than xBBs ? Would you re-raise to isolate?

As I think about it, I might. It's ahead against suited connectors by 14% against KQs, but still a 2:1 dog against all pocket pairs except AA, where of course, it's a big dog.

For me, my answer depends ... yada yada...

Click to expand...

I think A5 is a tricky little hand you gotta be careful with, but I really doubt its gonna give AK a run for it's money anytime soon for a few reasons. First, AK suited or unsuited on a good flop (anything with a A or K or both) gives you the best hand most of the time, and in any showdown you got the best kicker if its a pair of A of pair of K, but with A5 you basically need to either hit two pair or a 5 and hope no one else hits because you can't trust the 5 kicker with a pair of aces. Also the straight that you can make from AK is so much better than A5 if you get a flop with multiple straights. That being said, A5 is still pretty dangerous in certain situations and you could could catch some people on a dry board holding KQ of KJ if you hit the 5, but I'd still take AK anyday of the week.

To answer all those questions though I'd only play A5 if it was suited in the cutoff or button and only then if no one else raised before (I'd be tempted to call a limp bet just to see the flop but only from the button), and I'd probably check from the BB if it's just a bunch of limpers and hope it hits. If I'm playing though and nothing hits on the flop I'm out against any raise, I'd call a raise if a 5 is on the board and probably 3 bet if its an A with low cards (less than 8 or 9) or two pair. I'd only shove if I'm under 5BB as one of those it's an ace so why not hands. But still unless I hit an A or 5 I don't think I could re-raise anyone on a board that has any face card and still really only if I hit something. All-in all I think it could be a good hand but could also cause you a bit of a headache if you start playing it thinking it can beat AK pre-flop. Hope that helps!

I would think heads up against one players while holding ace-anything is going to do well, its not a bad hand for heads up situation

A5s could be a stealing hand if you are the first to open when the blinds are big. When you have a hand such as AK and the board shows any of the cards that you have, 30% of the time, you have the top pair, top kicker what is good enough to win against loose players.

In the same analysis for A5, your best situation is a flop with cards lower than 5, in a odd perspective its very rare, I would guess something about 15% of the flops and to hit your 5 giving you top pair, high kicker we will multiple the odds to the board get lower than 5 (15%) and you hit your 5(15%) what give us 2%... not so good as the 30% of the AK ,would you agree?

Knowing that the straight or flush are possible in both cases we can cancel one with another what give as the final result that AK is likely 28% best than A5

I know this is not a convencional analises but I liked it =)

Depends

Depends on opponent position stack size . But late position decent stack especially against tight players (mind you would probably raise any 2 there lol) but even against average players if CO or Button . or short stack CO or Button would probably push with them . as for suited or not really doesn't matter makes very little difference in odds

if u short stack..maybe position ...pushh!!! but dont play A5 in early position

He must have hitting the flop on and on and really getting lucky with A5 in order to compare that hand with AK like it's something similar, that really sounds like a subjective statement to me.
Ofc it's not even close, both hands could make a straight, and both contains an Ace and that's everything these two hands have in common.
Think about it, if you are an MTT player, what usually happens in middle and late stage of the tourney? People jam their pockets quite easely, 88 or better, so your chances significally increases if you go into a flip with AK rather than A5 against pocket pairs, these two hands are quite different with all respect to Mr Esfandiari

edcwy said:

Antonio Esfandiari among others I've heard have stated that A5 is the new AK when played pre-flop against one player. Do you agree?

My odds calculator, indeed, has A5 ahead pre-flop against one other player, but quickly is behind when you add another player to the mix. There's not much difference if suited or not.

The questions are how and when do you/have you played A5? Have you shoved/would you shove from UTG when less than xBBs ? Would you re-raise to isolate?

As I think about it, I might. It's ahead against suited connectors by 14% against KQs, but still a 2:1 dog against all pocket pairs except AA, where of course, it's a big dog.

For me, my answer depends ... yada yada...

Click to expand...

I don't think you should rely on your odds calculator if it tells you that.

sryImPro said:

He must have hitting the flop on and on and really getting lucky with A5 in order to compare that hand with AK like it's something similar, that really sounds like a subjective statement to me.
Ofc it's not even close, both hands could make a straight, and both contains an Ace and that's everything these two hands have in common.
Think about it, if you are an MTT player, what usually happens in middle and late stage of the tourney? People jam their pockets quite easely, 88 or better, so your chances significally increases if you go into a flip with AK rather than A5 against pocket pairs, these two hands are quite different with all respect to Mr Esfandiari

Click to expand...

I am still don't want know who is this Esfandiari... haha

A5s is a great pre flop hand but can become very expensive post flop.

If consider suited pocket cards A5 - then this is a universal hand that has potential for flush and on the hidden straight. But sometimes we can run into AK, so need to be careful playing this hand from early position.