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drawingneardead
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Since we have been discussing limping in on hands like AA & KK where the case is pretty much cut & dry, why not discuss limping with AK? This question is quite debatable.
For a minute let's assume that we are playing a full NL cash game. We will assume a low limit, say $200, and a typical mix of players. You are lucky enough to look down and see AK while on the button.
We know that in tourney play, the vast majority of good players raise coming in on this hand. I agree with this, but I do not see that theory as true when applied to cash games.
AK is a hit or miss hand. Overplaying AK when u miss the flop is a disaster in ring games, and it is typical to see as home game (tourney) players attempt to move into the casino. I feel that the overplaying on a missed flop is primarily caused by the player's preflop action. I.E. Raising with AK b4 the flop prompts you to make ill-advised Cbets.
If missing a flop with AK can be a disaster for some players in a ring game, hitting can be an even bigger one. One of the biggest problems with preflop raising this hand is that you fold out all the players that you have dominated. The weak aces & kings fold to your dominating hand but even worse the better players will let go of 2 facecard hands that u have crushed (and that they will pay u off with after hitting the flop).
So we expect to get paid on our AK but we fold out all the dominated hands b4 the flop.
Guess who calls our raise... Med. & small pairs! The only hands that play well against AK! (other than AA & KK of course) When a small pair makes a set and we hit a A or K, it takes all our poker skill to get away.
I am contending that limping is the better play most of the time!
Let's hear some opinions...
For a minute let's assume that we are playing a full NL cash game. We will assume a low limit, say $200, and a typical mix of players. You are lucky enough to look down and see AK while on the button.
We know that in tourney play, the vast majority of good players raise coming in on this hand. I agree with this, but I do not see that theory as true when applied to cash games.
AK is a hit or miss hand. Overplaying AK when u miss the flop is a disaster in ring games, and it is typical to see as home game (tourney) players attempt to move into the casino. I feel that the overplaying on a missed flop is primarily caused by the player's preflop action. I.E. Raising with AK b4 the flop prompts you to make ill-advised Cbets.
If missing a flop with AK can be a disaster for some players in a ring game, hitting can be an even bigger one. One of the biggest problems with preflop raising this hand is that you fold out all the players that you have dominated. The weak aces & kings fold to your dominating hand but even worse the better players will let go of 2 facecard hands that u have crushed (and that they will pay u off with after hitting the flop).
So we expect to get paid on our AK but we fold out all the dominated hands b4 the flop.
Guess who calls our raise... Med. & small pairs! The only hands that play well against AK! (other than AA & KK of course) When a small pair makes a set and we hit a A or K, it takes all our poker skill to get away.
I am contending that limping is the better play most of the time!
Let's hear some opinions...