The Better Hole cards

Which of these two hands would you prefer as your hole cards?
AK suited or QQ?

Statistically the AK has an edge over the pair to improve and remember that you are only looking at 50 unknown cards.

Work it out and I'll let you know.

it depends, 1x1 ? pair always in one to one.

AK was always pleasant to me more)

I think AK is very slight favorite here. But I could be wrong

22 is favourite over AK

QQ is 56% vs AK
QQ is 54% vs AKs

AK only has an edge in the sense that, when behind (and AK is behind from the start), it has 6 outs to improve, and QQ only has 2 outs when behind (not counting any straight or flush draws, backdoor or not).

But the thing is: QQ is already ahead. If AK doesn't spike an A or K, it loses.

QQ will win 54% vs AKs only 46%.

Give me QQ any day.


You need an equity calculator.

Equilab
Ace Poker Solutions Equity Calculator (http://www.acepokersolutions.com/Poker-equity-calculator/)

Equilab is faster for more complex ranges, but APSEC has the added feature of letting you assign discounted hands in ranges. Depending on the specific need, I use both.

Thanks, ill check those out. Do you use those in real time while you're playing or strictly in review?

Strictly in review.

Fiddling around with different ranges will also give you a good handle on how your equity looks in certain situations. It'll help to recognize spots on the table. An equity calculator is a great tool.

from my experience, I will go with QQ better than AKs. of course AKs will win sometimes but QQ will be overall more often.

Of Course QQ

A made pair is always higher percentage then a draw, I'd feel comfortable flipping there, now if it was JJ I would be hesitant lol ace or king always hits with jacks

I would have to go with QQ, It may not be the statistical favorite, but truth is your ahead, of course it's much easier to play than AK, I could shove QQ, AK I more than likely won't shove preflop unless 6man or less/

If things remain the same with no improvement to either, the pair wins.
The pair has a 24/1 chance to improve and the AK has a 7.3/1 chance. The AK sits with a 4/1 chance of filling a flush and about 3/1 filling a straight. All in all I favour the AK.

Never count out a good suited runner hand... I see people bet 10 Jack suited like their aces but the same players never give 67 78 or 89 the same respect. great calling hands especially against what you might assume is a higher pocket pair. they are easy to fold but great kill cards if you hit the flop .

In terms of advice for newbies. I would tend to avoid mid suited connectors until you are a winning player. Ability to hand read is also imo more important with hands that are less likely to be drawing to the nuts.

QQ every time, pre flop if the hand is ahead then it's ahead so I'll take it

its a flip, i would prefer AK suited though just becasue the faces you have alot more out depending on the flop also who you are playing ith if its live do you know the players and so on, usually i like to know the people im playing with weather there chasing or people who suck out and that makes a difference how i play

QQ, would i prefer. I don't know if you all have the same, but in general I don't win AK that very often on pokerstars. And with hands like 66, 1010, JJ, QQ I always hit the set. That is what I like about those hands. You just need one card and you will have a percentage of more then 90% after you hit that one. AK has a nice percentage if you hit the A or K ofcourse, but then you haven't seen the last card yet.

In my experience QQ is preferable. With AK a good experience if we do not

I'd prefer QQ, heads-up. However, multiway scenarios are a bit tricky. I've had a similar issue with JJ, at last night's cash table. It's very difficult to open with a good c-bet, with overcards on the table. In a multiway pot, I'd prefer AK, with its overcard and 'big draw' dynamics, to further +EV.

Definitely QQ.

During long time of observing, at the table, where one ore several players with grosser stack than yours, your pocket AK, even suited, could not closed (get not Ace or King on the board).
But if you see poker Gods look on you, or just you feel success, be sure, AK will be winner, even against pocket Kings))))

I know the ace or king always seems to come when you're holding the queens, and never seems to come when you're holding the A-K. It just seems that way because the hands you lose tend to stand out more prominently in your memory. I've lost plenty and won plenty with both hands. Still, I think I would rather be holding the queens. I would always rather be getting my chips in ahead as opposed to being behind and having outs.

When we play A-K we are usually expecting to be ahead, to have our opponent either dominated or crushed. But if we don't, then there is still hope because we're holding two over cards. But if you had the choice, would really choose to be behind, hoping to get lucky and hit one of your over cards? One way I look at it is to imagine I had magic glasses that could let me see my opponents cards. If he were to make a standard raise against me with Q-Q and I was holding A-K, I would flat call and be prepare to let go of my hand if I didn't out flop him. But if he raised me with A-K and I was holding Q-Q, I'm going to 3-bet his ass. If my opponent was to shove holding Q-Q, I would most likely lay the A-K down. But if he were to shove with A-K, there is no way I would let my queens go. That just how I see it.

Chances 50/50 both of then nice hands

Nope, QQ is ahead.

+1

Just remember to not run the calculator when PS is running in the background, as you will get a warning. It happened to me while I was analysing my play, I wasn't even at a table and I got a warning, so if you want to use a calculator make sure poker sites are closed.

Interesting. its amazing how pokersites look down on edge play so much...

They didn't use to ban these. I can see why they are not allowed tho, using it in play is cheating imo. These tools are great for analysing and find where you are going wrong in your plays.

i figure its as much cheating as using a hud. only if other players arent allowed to use it. i think the real reason is that they want to prevent casual players from being scared away by people who are 'too good' and dont understand why everyone else is so much better than them. which i think that would be much worse for the game.

No it is totally different from a HUD, all a HUD gives you is stats, it doesn't tell you your equity or what your opponents range is, you have to work that out for yourself.

already broke face often with QQ, but still opting for what is already ready

Tough call but I would go with the QQ.. I see AK over played all the time and it hits and misses like any other hand.. I would rather be ahead at the start of the hand

Many amateur players lose money on AK (my opinion)

I agree with most comments, a pair vs ak on all in before flop have better chance to win.

Let's put it this way -
If I get shoved on for my tournament life and I know he has AK and I'm holding QQ - I'm feeling really good about calling, however
If I get shoved on for my tournament life and I know he has QQ and I'm holding AK - I know I have to get lucky and don't feel so good about calling.

Yes, it is true, AK has a better chance of improving itself over QQ. That's only because there are 6 outs to improve AK and only 2 outs to improve QQ - BUT AK MUST IMPROVE, QQ MAY NOT HAVE TO.