Ace-King/All in

[steved757]

As much as I been playing poker online. I see the AK lose more often than not especially when somebody goes all in. So I ask what do you think the best strategy to play when you start with AK and when should you go all in or not?

 

[DawnNuts]

Well me personally I would probably make a decent raise pre-flop or call a good bet but never go all in pre-flop for me. after the flop try to keep a good read and suck them in if you have the odds and make them go all in.
but you at least want to see the flop. avoid all ins pre-flop unless you have a good pocket pair and you feel lucky haha

 

[arielakarel]

As much as I been playing poker online. I see the AK lose more often than not especially when somebody goes all in. So I ask what do you think the best strategy to play when you start with AK and when should you go all in or not?

Obviously don't go all in every time you have AK..
But if you're preflop, and someone goes all in, then its a safe bet to call.
Nothing is garanteed.. but even if the other guy has AA or KK you still can beat him with AK.

 

[Syltan]

Never put all, only having less than 8 big blinds

 

[mar_dragan]

Answer for this is:
"How far do you want to go in the tourney?" - THIS IS A QUOTE FROM DAVID SKLANSKY

AK is cards like other,you have more % for win because you have high cards,but does not necessarily mean you will win.

 

[robertocoelho]

shove preflop only short stack or tight players left and you want to steal blinds, it is right to raise

 

[hffjd2000]

If you are short stack, definitely shove and hope for the best.

AK is strong but not go all the way if so much chips.

 

[angeliks]

go all-in with AK is a bad move, with preflop it is fine and the flop read the play well and go all-in if they leave good cards and instead wait for the turn and / or river to all-in or fold

 

[jgdesabato]

If you do not understand poker strategy AK can easily take you to errors to go ALL-IN pre-flop or even call. If you have more than 30 or less than 10 BB BB is a good move, otherwise risking go on tilt and exit the game faster

 

[ikerakos]

AK have the same chances to win with Other cards.... I think AK pre flop is good for all in when you don t have a lot of BB other way All in with a big stack will be destructive !

 

[dexon303]

Just like that

 

[almanik]

There is no 100% right answer on this question. Sometimes it's good move, sometimes not. All depends from you stack, your place in tournament or size of you cash porket, your enemies on the table and many other things.

 

[ricardohneto]

I honestly have seem more AA losses then AK losses... AK is a nice hand, but not requires all-in all times... Depends on the situation...

 

[rawbad]

ak is the same as any hand it just gets you pumped I just call or if big stack raise preflop only whatever you do don't chase

 

[jgdesabato]

It's really a very good hand to go all-in, but you must be careful not to tilt making a bad-beat.

 

[PieterTerAar]

depends on the situation. In cashgame with a 100BB+ satck you should never go all-in. You'll face a lot of the times AA or KK. In tournament i would go all-in preflop more often. People will call/shove more often when they have 10BB or less.

 

[quick]

AK is always tricky. I think in tournaments, esp deep stacked or close to the bubble it's ok to fold them pre to all in shoves.

I think in cash games they play differently. AK suited is obviously a bit better than AK off due to more possibilities. You have to consider the ranges of those shoving, many times it does mean AA or KK but you'd be amazed how often you see these crazy out of position pre flop shoves with any pocket pair.

Case in point yesterday alone I got dealt AKs one hand and AKo the next hand:

I'm on button in both cases (two different tables). I raise up the AKs and get one all in shove followed by a second all in shove, so I'm facing two all in full stacks pre flop. I fold thinking someone has AA there, they got to. KK was the first stack all in, JJ was the second stack all in. The flop was 4 to the flush for me with an Ace. My AK would have won Aces with K kicker. But against two all in stacks in cash I didn't feel like that was a good spot at all. Against one all in cash I'm generally doing it unless I know the person only shoves AA and I'm not suited up.

Second one: AKo on button. I raise it up again, get one all in shove. They had something like QQ and I lost my stack. Still felt that was a good call just didn't pan out for me that one time.

TLDR: I think it's good to fold AK preflop early or mid position in tournaments to all in shoves close to the bubble or deep. I also think it's a good idea to fold in cash games against 2 or more all in shoves at any stage of the hand unless you know for sure the shovers do that without AA or KK. If your gut says its AA or KK behind that shove and you have no other information on the person, I assume that is exactly what I'm facing. If it's already on the flop, I'm considering they got a set and thinking carefully.

 

[dsk1231]

There is no 100% right answer on this question. Sometimes it's good move, sometimes not. All depends from you stack, your place in tournament or size of you cash porket, your enemies on the table and many other things.

+1

 

[EvertonGirl]

I don't always shove AK pre, I will if I am 10-15 bbs. I will call a shove if I am against a LAGTARD who is playing ATC.

AK is a lovely hand, it doesn't mean you should win the hand if you get them dealt to you, same if you have AA! There will be times where you will lose with the best hand pre. Play these hands correctly, the result does not matter. It is poker shit happens

 

[CallmeFloppy]

Remember that although you have AK you still don't have a pair. The flop can change your percentage real quick. I'd rather play the hand out to possibly that just raise all in. There are times when you have to go all in, but I prefer to keep my options open when possible.

 

[Tosh_67]

When I first started playing I overvalued the AK... My stats with this hand was awful... I'd lost hundreds of BBs... It took me a while to understand that you can't throw all your chips in on this hand like you can with the big pairs...

Sure It is a very strong hand, but it's cracks easily if not played correctly...

 

[Henry Minute]

Read my sig.

 

[boomeranged]

Well it is a good hand to have if you are short stacked, otherwise it's just like another hand, either you make a hand on the board or make the opponent fold if the board allows. Don't risk a lot of chips for a speculative hand, rather wait for a decent hand or a decent spot.

 

[AvaPoker13]

You should never go all in before the flop with AK you lose against any pair before anything. I increase but take a case all in against ever give up, I mainly tournaments.

 

[Xpliss]

As everyone has said, I think it is situational. But if more than 1 person raises or shoves. I would rather have 9 10s than AK, because the likeliness that those pushing have my outs