I have seen so many players busted by A/K, I hate it! Sure it is a nice starting hand and by all means you should be raising pre-flop with it, but if you hit nothing on the flop You have to bet regardless to make your opponent believe you either hit big, or have a pair already and made a set.
Once playing pocket 9s on the BB I was raised by a player in late position, the SB completed so the pot now gave me decent
odds to complete myself, 5/1, The flop came 8,9,10, rainbow and the SB checked, I checked on the BB and the player who raised pre-flop decided to shove all-in. The SB called and after some time I called as well.
Now I put the raiser on an A/K, A/Q, or a big pocket pair, with the SB calling the all-in I assumed she had made the hand she was looking for either Trips like myself or a Straight. either way I was losing but when the Turn dropped another 10 the SB checked, Now she could have been trapping me with 4 of a kind but with less than 3 blinds left in my stack I had to go for it, So I then shoved all-in and she called, the cards were turned over and as I had predicted the late position player had A/K, The SB had J/Q so had made her straight, and I had 9/9 to make a Full house.
So yes I hate A/K and would sooner play a pocket pair every time.
If the player in late position had shoved pre-flop with A/K, I am pretty sure the SB would possibly have folded, and left with only me to make a decision, it would have been a tough choice.
I would like to know if you agree and what would your action be holding any of the three hands? would you have played any different?