AK Overrated?

[shinedown.45]

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/big-slick-75292/

IMO, this is by far the best article we have on big slick submitted by Shermstick, way back when I was a newbie and have never had to ask about AK since.
I can't tell you how many times I have linked this, probabably about as many times as there is an "AK" thread and TBH, I never get tired of linking this article.

 

[underdog140]

Do you have the ability to read? Great. Now use it to read my graph from about 4 posts up. I'll wait.

As you can clearly see, AA wins, over my sample, 1 more BB/100 than KK (another single pair hand I'm sure you think loses a lot more than it wins) which is 2 BB/100 better than QQ. There is no other hand that is even close to AA! Maybe you just need to work on your game?

YOu can say what you want.AA does loose allot more than it should.AA is stilll just a pair.It is AA and everyone loves getting them but still only a pair.To better your hand you have to hit one off 2 Aces that are left or catch a lucky straight or flush.

 

[roland cote]

Every time I read a thread thread like this I want to play poker real bad.
AK cna be played a lot of ways as everyone here has stated in one way or another. But I still think it's greatest advantage is pre-flop as AG so elequently showed us. It'll win you more money as you play more and understad it's true value as it pertains to YOUR game, not your opponents.

 

[baudib1]

The "problem" with AK is that it's difficult to play. On the other hand, it's a great hand because if you miss it's very easy to let it go, whereas many people will clutch their AA/KK to death, refusing to pay attention to the signs that they're beaten.

The value you get from AK is largely twofold:

1. You dominate Ax and Kx hands that people love to play. Yes, everyone remembers when they raised 6xBB and you flop A 8 3 and someone with A3s stacks you. But it is mathematically irrefutable that AK will absolutely crush any Ax or Kx hand over the long haul. When people play Ax vs. your AK, they are making a profound mistake, and you should be happy that they are putting their money in down 3-1.

2. You must utilize the folding equity of AK. Let's say the blinds are 100/200 and someone raises to 500 UTG with 99. He gets a call from AJ in the MP and you have AK in the BB. Your stack is 3,000 and UTG has $5,000, MP has 3,600. You reraise all-in. Now, maybe UTG puts you on 99 and calls, figuring he's ahead. But you could easily have a higher pocket pair and he's dominated.

What AK is, is a semi-bluffing hand. This is the most powerful weapon AK has -- you represent Aces or Kings and they can't know that you don't have AA or KK. Many times you will pick up this nice pot as UTG is loathe to call off most of his stack with just 99 when he can fold and be healthy. Meanwhile, AJ is getting squeezed and is looking at calling off his stack with a dominated hand. Even if you are called you're not in terrible shape, even with one of your As out vs. TT. Obviously you'd welcome the call from AJ. You don't need to get folds very often for this to become a very profitable play, because you're close to breaking even when you do get called (and yes, you will get calls sometimes from AQ/AJ/AT/KQ).

If you simply call in the BB, you brick, the board comes down T 7 2, UTG bets half the pot and you fold...you curse under your breath "AK is soooo overrated." But it's your fault for simply calling rather than reraising when you're out of position with a hand that needs to see all five cards.

 

[almostfamous1003]

I watch so many players get way to attached to that A K and end up going broke tryin to hit one or the other. Just because you have big slick does'nt mean your a winner. Its all about the way you play them.
Like the song says "You gotta know when to hold em and when to fold em"

 

[TiltMonkey999]

As much as people lost with AK they get madder and madder..AK is definitely under rated because you never think about your kicker until you lose..AK and AA are the best just as someone else stated..

 

[underdog140]

I watch so many players get way to attached to that A K and end up going broke tryin to hit one or the other. Just because you have big slick does'nt mean your a winner. Its all about the way you play them.
Like the song says "You gotta know when to hold em and when to fold em"

I agree with you.ANy hand can be beat.Ak is a good hand but you have to be carefull how you play it.Different ways to play AK depending on the table you are at.

 

[Rammbone]

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/big-slick-75292/

IMO, this is by far the best article we have on big slick submitted by Shermstick, way back when I was a newbie and have never had to ask about AK since.
I can't tell you how many times I have linked this, probabably about as many times as there is an "AK" thread and TBH, I never get tired of linking this article.

this is an excellent article. i just got finished reading it. i played it about the same and have had good results and dont remember those but i do remember my ak going up against the a7 and them 2 pairing lol. selective memory at its finest

 

[slowroller]

This thread sucks. No proof from any of the "drawing hand" crowd. The facts are these, if you're losing $$ with AK you're doing it wrong. If you think AA sucks more than AK, you're ....well....special. If you think I'm wrong then the numbers don't lie.

My top 10 hands at 50nl (65K hands):
View attachment 15474

This might be a stupid question, but in your chart is the amount won a total of only the times you won with the hand or a net profit with the hand?

 

[WVHillbilly]

Not a stupid question (hell for this thread it's brilliant), it's the net profit for the hand.

So from my chart I've had AA 282 times and won 89.36% of those times for a total profit of $1219.90. Did you catch that? Of the 282 times I've been dealt AA at nl50, I've won the pot 252 times! Bet I can name almost all of those 30 loses though!

 

[underdog140]

Like I said above AA losses alott more than it should.Want some proof here it is.

I Just got AA two hands in a row. THe first hand I am on the button two players limp in and one raises it to 360.I have 3.5k so I reraise all in and Get one caller.He is holding KQ off suit.Q on flop and one on the river to give him tripps and beat me.I get about 800 chips back and my next hand comes AA again.about 7 players limp in calling the big blind witch was 60.My turn to act I go all in and get 3 callers.The flop comes A K 10.I have trips AAA.One player goes all in and gets another to fold one calls.They turn over there cards and one only has pair KK the other one a flush draw spades and sure enought the river comes wiht the spade and I get knocked out

 

[WVHillbilly]

Like I said above AA losses alott more than it should.Want some proof here it is.

I Just got AA two hands in a row. THe first hand I am on the button two players limp in and one raises it to 360.I have 3.5k so I reraise all in and Get one caller.He is holding KQ off suit.Q on flop and one on the river to give him tripps and beat me.I get about 800 chips back and my next hand comes AA again.about 7 players limp in calling the big blind witch was 60.My turn to act I go all in and get 3 callers.The flop comes A K 10.I have trips AAA.One player goes all in and gets another to fold one calls.They turn over there cards and one only has pair KK the other one a flush draw spades and sure enought the river comes wiht the spade and I get knocked out

[ ] proof

 

[Ranny]

AK is a positional hand, play it that way.

 

[Suited Frenzy]

Yes, I think "big slick" is the most overrated hand in poker & the most overplayed. Don't get me wrong, it is a great starting hand & wins sometimes but people act like they have pkt Aces most of the time when they have it.

Here's a thread I started a longggggg time ago around the time I joined here about not overplaying "big slick".

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/overplaying-a-k-83363/

 

[Cobryn]

Like I said above AA losses alott more than it should.Want some proof here it is.

I Just got AA two hands in a row. THe first hand I am on the button two players limp in and one raises it to 360.I have 3.5k so I reraise all in and Get one caller.He is holding KQ off suit.Q on flop and one on the river to give him tripps and beat me.I get about 800 chips back and my next hand comes AA again.about 7 players limp in calling the big blind witch was 60.My turn to act I go all in and get 3 callers.The flop comes A K 10.I have trips AAA.One player goes all in and gets another to fold one calls.They turn over there cards and one only has pair KK the other one a flush draw spades and sure enought the river comes wiht the spade and I get knocked out

Oh that changes everything. You're right. From now on fold those aces.

 

[brett987]

i agree AK is over rated its jus as good as 10 J in online poker bc 10s and jacks come up more on pokerstars then A or K i rather have 10 J heads up then AK

 

[Poker Orifice]

Yah... this type of thread has me tilting somewhat as well. In my opinion a few rookie players attempting to express why AK (& even AA?) are over-rated. Well, I don't know about you but I'm ALWAYS glad to look down and see AK.
My guess is where possibly these newbies are going wrong is to be married to the hand (playing it poorly in regards to flop texture and opponent(s) in the hand with them, and possibly not taking into account what types of players they're playing it up against.. maybe other rookies or loose calling stations willing to call down with bottom pr.).
Why else could someone believe AK is over-rated unless it's just the fact that they've been playing it poorly???

 

[WVHillbilly]

i agree AK is over rated its jus as good as 10 J in online poker bc 10s and jacks come up more on pokerstars then A or K i rather have 10 J heads up then AK

You sir, are an idiot.

 

[Poker Orifice]

i agree AK is over rated its jus as good as 10 J in online poker bc 10s and jacks come up more on pokerstars then A or K i rather have 10 J heads up then AK

???.... I rest my case...

 

[Poker Orifice]

Like I said above AA losses alott more than it should.Want some proof here it is.

I Just got AA two hands in a row. THe first hand I am on the button two players limp in and one raises it to 360.I have 3.5k so I reraise all in and Get one caller.He is holding KQ off suit.Q on flop and one on the river to give him tripps and beat me.I get about 800 chips back and my next hand comes AA again.about 7 players limp in calling the big blind witch was 60.My turn to act I go all in and get 3 callers.The flop comes A K 10.I have trips AAA.One player goes all in and gets another to fold one calls.They turn over there cards and one only has pair KK the other one a flush draw spades and sure enought the river comes wiht the spade and I get knocked out

What was this.... Fulltilt Poker 'POker After Donk Freeroll'?? Two hands on a terrible limpy table of donks. This is 'sure proof'... I fold AK from now on! (and of course AA as well.. goes without question).

 

[WVHillbilly]

Yah... this type of thread has me tilting somewhat as well. In my opinion a few rookie players attempting to express why AK (& even AA?) are over-rated. Well, I don't know about you but I'm ALWAYS glad to look down and see AK.
My guess is where possibly these newbies are going wrong is to be married to the hand (playing it poorly in regards to flop texture and opponent(s) in the hand with them, and possibly not taking into account what types of players they're playing it up against.. maybe other rookies or loose calling stations willing to call down with bottom pr.).
Why else could someone believe AK is over-rated unless it's just the fact that they've been playing it poorly???

???.... I rest my case...

What was this.... Fulltilt Poker 'POker After Donk Freeroll'?? Two hands on a terrible limpy table of donks. This is 'sure proof'... I fold AK from now on! (and of course AA as well.. goes without question).

Good to see that I'm not the only one this thread tilts!

 

[ArminDeluxe]

think ak is a good hand against two high cards but not against a pair
chance of winning against a pair is less then 50%

 

[Steveg1976]

AK can be beat by any 2 cards

Wha? AK>AA does not compute

After reading this thread this is what Life Tilt feels like, interesting....

 

[Cobryn]

i agree AK is over rated its jus as good as 10 J in online poker bc 10s and jacks come up more on pokerstars then A or K i rather have 10 J heads up then AK

LMAO. I dont have a signature... but that might be my new one.

 

[Cobryn]

I'm gonna state this in the most obvious way I possibly can.

AK is a 70% favorite over AQ, AJ, A10, A9, A8, A7, A6, A5, A4, A3 and A2.

AK is also a 70% favorite over KQ, KJ, K10, K9, K8, K7, K6, K5, K4, K3 and K2

AK is better than 60/40 against any other unpaired hand.

Yes, even J/10.

Yes even if its suited.

Therefore, AK is the king of all unpaired hands, regardless of brett's claim that there are more 10s and Jacks in Full Tilt's deck than Aces and Kings.

Against any pair besides Kings or Aces, it is basically a coin flip.

Against Kings, your AK suited is only a 35-65 dog.

It is only against Aces that you are dominated.

All in all, AK suited is a 66 percent winner against any one hand if played to the river.